Famous American actor, screenwriter and producer Matt Damon (Matthew Page Damon) was born in 1970, October 8, in American Cambridge, Massachusetts, known worldwide for its Harvard University. In the family, besides Matt, there was another son, who later became a sculptor. Matthew's father, a tax inspector, and his mother, a college professor, divorced when he was only 2 years old.
When the boy was 8 years old, he became friends with Ben Affleck, who lived near him and was his distant relative. They are friends today, being not only friends, but also partners in the films. By the age of 16, Matt realized that he wanted to connect his future only with an acting career, but, having informed his parents about this, he did not meet their understanding. They allowed him to go to New York for a casting of one of the agencies only on the condition that he would find the money for the trip himself. The young man had savings of $ 200, and he no doubt spent all of them on a trip. It was not in vain, as the future actor appeared in TJ Maxx commercial.
Matt Damon - the beginning of a stellar career
His first roles, consisting of one phrase, Matt played while still a student. However, in 1996, he got a role in the film “Courage in Battle,” in which Meg Ryan was his partner. The fact that Matt had to lose 20 kg, for which he ran 18 km a day and followed a strict diet, tells how seriously the young man was preparing for the shoot. This role was very successful, and Matt, inspired by the success of the movie, dropped out of university.
Matt Damon - gaining popularity
However, they started talking about Matt in 1997, after the release of “Good Will Hunting”, which raised $ 225 million worldwide. It was this film that made Damon and Affleck the Oscars for the best screenplay. By the way, this script was written by young people back in their student days. After Matt played a role in Steven Spielberg’s film “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998, he became one of Hollywood’s most promising young actors.
Matt Damon - The Most Notable Roles
The most famous roles of Matt Damon should, of course, include work in the films “Clever Will Hunting” (1997) and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998).
Another famous work by Matt Damon is the role of Tom Ripley in the film "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999). To play it, the actor had to use a fierce diet to lose almost 14 kilograms and learn to play the piano.
Matt’s stellar career has also evolved thanks to other great roles, for example, in the films “Indomitable Hearts” (2000), “The Legend of Bagher Vance” (2000), “11 Ocean Friends” (2001), continued in the films “12 Ocean Friends” and “13 Friends of Ocean” (2004 and 2007, respectively).
It is believed that his participation in the films “The Bourne Identity”, “The Bourne Supremacy”, “The Bourne Ultimatum” by Damon made them cashboxes. In August 2007, according to Forbes magazine, Matt entered the list of highest grossing actors.
Interestingly, in 1995, Matt refused to play the role of Phi Herod in Sam Raimi's film “Fast and Dead,” which was subsequently played by DiCaprio.
Matt Damon - personal life
There is evidence that Matt Damon met with Minnie Driver (his partner in the movie "Good Will Hunting") and Winona Ryder.
In 2003, Matt met Luciana Barroso, then a bartender in Miami. In December 2005, the couple played a modest wedding in New York. At first they raised only Luciana’s daughter from their first marriage, Alexia, but in July 2006, their wife gave birth to Matt Isabella’s daughter, and in October 2010 the family was replenished with another girl named Stella.
Matt Damon - Interesting Facts
- Matt's pedigree has Scottish, English and Finnish roots.
- The actor struggled with smoking for a long time, but managed to quit only after a visit to the hypnotist.
- Starring in the movie "Informant", Matt Damon was forced to gain 15 kg, for which he constantly ate various high-calorie foods, washed down with chocolate cocktails.
Matt Damon - Today
In 2012, Matt was planning for the first time to act as a director, but decided to postpone his debut due to lack of time and invited his longtime friend Gus Van Sent to implement the planned project. However, in this so far unnamed provincial story, we will see Damon in one of the main roles.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are also planning to work on a film about James “Whitey” Bulger, who was an American gangster of Irish descent, in 2012. The main role in the film will play, of course, Matt Damon.
