Casey Affleck Sets Sail in New Film 'The Finest Hours'

— -- Casey Affleck is setting sail in his latest film "The Finest Hours" -- based on a true story from more than 60 years ago of a daring rescue made by the U.S. Coast Guard.

"It's a real story," Affleck told ABC News' Nick Watt. "These two gigantic oil tankers, 500-foot oil tankers, splitting in half, both of them at the same time in this huge storm."

"It's incredible. I had never heard of it," Affleck said of the story. "I was drawn to this because of the sort of old fashioned heroics of it."

"It's one of those things that someone finds it and they think, 'My God. This is incredible. Let's call Casey,'" he joked.

In the drama, Affleck plays an engineer on board the SS Pendleton, which is stricken as a result of a massive storm in 1952.

Affleck joked about the toughness of his costars, including Chris Pine, who portrays the boatswain of a tiny Coast Guard cutter sent to rescue the sailors trapped inside.

"Some guys, you know...I won't mention who, Chris Pine. Ben Foster," Affleck said. "They wore wet suits and dry suits. They complained all the time. I never did any of that."

Affleck, the younger brother of Oscar winner Ben Affleck, also dished about Joaquin Phoenix, whom he became best friends with after meeting on the set of "To Die For."

Now, Affleck is married to Phoenix's sister, Summer.

"Matt [Damon] at the time...was up for the Joaquin Phoenix part," Affleck said, adding that if Damon landed the part in the 1995 film, he would've never met his wife.

"The Finest Hours" will be released in theaters on Jan. 29.

"The Finest Hours" is produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Disney is the parent company of ABC News.