Ben Affleck is back in the director’s chair—and this time, he’s rocking a wedding ring, but don’t let that spark any real-life speculation. 

The ring’s just part of the costume as he steps into the role of a married mayoral candidate in his latest Netflix project, Animals.

Affleck, 52, was recently spotted taking a smoke break on set, casually flaunting the ring while deep in character. 

It’s his first time juggling triple duty—writing, directing, and acting—since 2023’s Air. 

And yes, he’s also producing the film through Artists Equity, the production company he co-founded with longtime pal Matt Damon.

“Another one of Ben’s passion projects,” an industry source told PEOPLE. 

“He’s both acting and producing. He’s always great to work with.” The insider also noted that “filming just kicked off, but it’s been great so far. Ben’s been in a great mood and super fun to work with.”

While Damon was originally set to star alongside Affleck, his busy schedule filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey meant he had to bow out. 

Stepping into the on-screen wife role is Kerry Washington, with the rest of the cast boasting names like Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Adriana Paz, Ray Fisher, Mark Kassen, and Christopher Woodley.

Netflix hasn’t revealed the official plot or a release date yet, but with Affleck’s wedding ring already making headlines, it’s safe to say Animals is off to a solid—and slightly smokey—start.