Support truly
independent journalism
Matt Damon has shed a light on the only reason he ever “argues” with Ben Affleck and his younger brother Casey Affleck.
The actor has regularly collaborated with the siblings over the years – with writing partner and co-star Ben on projects including Good Will Hunting and Air, and opposite Casey in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven trilogy as well as Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture-winning Oppenheimer, which was released in 2023.
Considering his close proximity to the pair, Damon was asked about their behind-the-scenes relationship – and he admitted that it’s not always a walk in the park.
While attending the premiere of The Instigators in New York on Wednesday (31 July), Damon called them “consistently incredible partners to work with” – but acknowledged that sometimes can get frosty between them.
“We do get in creative arguments,” Damon revealed to People, adding: “Those are healthy, and we know each other well enough that our feelings don’t really get involved and our egos don’t get involved.”
Damon continued: “It’s a pretty healthy working relationship with both of them.”
He said that he “pays attention” when one of them “digs their heels in on something” as “we all have blind spots creatively or otherwise”.
“When I see somebody that I agree with so much feeling strongly about something, I look really carefully at it.”
Damon won Best Original Screenplay alongside Ben for Good Will Hunting in 1999.
In July, Damon said that he “fell into a depression” while filming a particularly regrettable movie project.
Damon declined to mention the name of the project in question. While the Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting star has appeared in a number of acclaimed films throughout the years, he has also featured in a number of critically panned releases, such as The Great Wall (2016), Suburbicon (2017) and Downsizing (2017).
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
“Without naming any particular movies... sometimes you find yourself in a movie that you know, perhaps, might not be what you had hoped it would be, and you’re still making it,” he said.
“And I remember halfway through production and you’ve still got months to go and you’ve taken your family somewhere, you know, and you’ve inconvenienced them, and I remember my wife pulling me up because I fell into a depression about like, what have I done?
