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Ben Affleck recently praised the anticipated Skydance acquisition of Paramount, highlighting David Ellison’s role as a crucial “owner” figure, not part of the typical corporate “management class.” Speaking at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha Summit with Gerry Cardinale, his co-founder of Artists Equity and a supporter of the acquisition, Affleck expressed hope for Ellison’s leadership to renew Paramount’s focus on creative storytelling. He pointed out that Ellison, unlike most corporate managers, is deeply invested in the studio’s artistic goals rather than purely short-term gains. “Hollywood needs more robust entities like Paramount,” Affleck explained, emphasizing that consolidation has threatened creative diversity within the industry, which thrives on competition and creative risk-taking.