Goodwill Hunting? Ben Affleck Connected to Anonymous Charlie Hebdo Posters Displayed Outside Golden Globes

As Hollywood’s elite paraded down the red carpet, some donning pins in support of Charlie Hebdo at Sunday’s Golden Globe awards, street artists took to the affluent surrounding area to hang posters featuring an image of the satire magazine’s contentious cover, accompanied by the words, “Goodwill Hunting?”

The artwork went on display at intersections near Brentwood and Pacific Palisades, far from Paris, in West L.A., and likely had people scratching their heads as they passed through the areas.

While the anonymous “artists” offered no explanation of the words on the placards, a likely explanation of the phrase’s origin can be connected to the 1997 Oscar-winning film, Goodwill Hunting, which was co-written by Ben Affleck.

The original magazine cover that is plastered on the posters features an Egyptian man being killed in a hale of gunfire, reports The Wrap. Holding a copy of the Koran as a shield from bullets, a translation of the words on the cover reportedly reads, “The Koran is s–t” and “It can’t even stop these bullets.”

The imagery and timing of the displays, as well as the area in West Los Angeles where they were exhibited, near the home of Ben Affleck, likely means that the words are not a call for goodwill. They are more likely a play-on-words to the title of the film, and a dig at the star.

Affleck recently made headlines for an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher, where he appeared visibly disturbed by a panel conversation when Maher and guest author Sam Harris voiced their critical opinions on Islam.

In response to Harris’ and Maher’s discussion, and an opinion, stated by Harris that Islam is nothing more than a “mother-load of bad ideas,” Affleck took to the offensive:

“It’s gross. It’s racist,” Affleck said. “It’s like saying, ‘shifty Jew.'”

He added, “How about more than a billion people who are not fanatical, who don’t punish women, who just want to go to school, have some sandwiches… It’s stereotyping!”

“That’s not true, Ben,” Maher said, admonishing the actor for claiming that Islamic acts of violence are isolated to a few “bad apples.”

You can catch the entire exchange on Real Time below: