‘The Odyssey’ star Matt Damon on 5 decades of friendship with Ben Affleck; says the two ‘bolstered each other’
Matt Damon has reflected on his decades-long friendship with Ben Affleck, crediting their mutual belief in each other during their early struggles as aspiring actors as the foundation for a bond that has endured nearly five decades. The 55-year-old actor opened up about the pair’s famous relationship, discussing how their connection evolved from teenage dreamers to established Hollywood figures and business partners.In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine, Damon revealed they met as children in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and have maintained an exceptionally tight-knit relationship from their days auditioning for roles as teenagers through their rise to movie stardom, adulthood and current lives as parents. The two actors credit their shared experiences during those formative years as instrumental in building the foundation for their lifelong connection.
Damon shared that he and Affleck travelled together for auditions as teenagers, encouraging one another when few others believed they would make it.Image credit (Instagram)
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s early days of mutual support.
Damon, who stars in Christopher Nolan’s epic ‘The Odyssey’, drew parallels between his character’s defiant mentality and the mindset he and Affleck cultivated during their youth. “I think starting as an actor, you have to feel that way a little bit. You have to because the odds are so long against you,” Damon explained in the interview. “I think Ben and I bolstered each other when we were young. We were in our teens, and we were coming down here to New York on the train or on the bus to audition for things, for The Mickey Mouse Club.“He elaborated on what distinguished their support system from typical family encouragement. “We were the only people who believed in each other. We had families, but they weren’t in the entertainment business. We were the only people who felt like we had a little foot in this door who said, ‘Yeah, you’re going to make it,'” Damon said. “And I think you need to have that kind of defy-the-odds mentality to go into this life because it’s a bit of the circus life and it’s not a normal way to go.“
The ‘The Odyssey’ star credited Ben Affleck’s unwavering support for helping him overcome the long odds of breaking into the entertainment industryImage credit (Instagram)
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s family lives and current circumstances
Damon has been married to wife Luciana since 2005. The couple share daughters Alexia, 27, Isabella, 20, Gia, 17, and Stella, 15. Affleck, who is 53, shares his own similarly aged children—Violet, 20, Seraphina Rose, 17, and Samuel, 14—with former spouse Jennifer Garner. Both men find themselves at similar life stages as their children approach adulthood.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company and recent collaborations
More than 45 years after they first met, Affleck and Damon remain closely linked as friends, professional collaborators and business partners through their production company. They most recently produced and starred in a winter release for a major streaming platform, further solidifying their creative partnership during their careers’ later chapters.
Damon praised Affleck as both a lifelong friend and collaborator, saying their shared dreams continue to shape the projects they pursue together.Image credit (Instagram)
Away from the spotlight, the duo discusses the approaching empty-nest years regularly. “It doesn’t take much to get us emotional at this point,” Damon said with a laugh. “We’re at very similar stages with the kids, and it’s definitely a new phase of life. It was one of the reasons we started the company, getting into our 50s and going, ‘This is the time to do this. We’re young enough to have the energy to do it and old enough to appreciate why we should do it and to make really good movies with our friends and with people we want to work with.‘”Reflecting on their shared journey and the importance of maintaining their creative partnership, Damon expressed gratitude for their ability to continue working together. “Our dreams came true, and the greatest disservice we could do to our younger selves would be to not work together,” he added.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s upcoming projects and continued collaboration
The pair’s next major collaboration will be largely behind-the-camera, with Damon joining his wife Luciana as a producer on Affleck’s upcoming directorial feature. The film will star Affleck alongside established performers including Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun and Kerry Washington, marking another opportunity for the longtime friends to create meaningful work together.Their willingness to invest their time and resources in projects featuring people they genuinely want to collaborate with reflects the values that have sustained their friendship through the unpredictable landscape of the entertainment industry.
