Damon Affleck. The best films starring Ben Affleck

Hollywood star Matt Damon not one of those who get stuck in one role: films about Jason Bourne didn't turn him into a typical action actor, and Good Will Hunting and The Talented Mr. Ripley didn't turn him into a dramatic wiseguy. Damon himself admits that he doesn’t care who he plays, as long as it’s a film by a good director.

Today the principled and talented artist turns 45 years old. On the birthday of the Hollywood star, AiF.ru recalls how the Harvard University philologist became one of the most sought-after actors of our time.

Harvard boy

Matthew Page Damon was born on October 8, 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, famous for Harvard University. He grew up in a very ordinary family: his father was a tax inspector, his mother was an education specialist in primary school, and his older brother, who later became a sculptor. However, the Damons' marriage was not happy - quarrels in their house did not stop. And when the neighbors had become accustomed to the loud screams, his mother could not stand it and left the house forever with her children. The future star was not even three years old at that time.

Raising a single mother, who received one education after another, affected Damon's interests: he was a very smart and well-read child. Immediately after school, it was not difficult for the young man to enter one of the best universities in the country. However, the Hollywood star never graduated from Harvard...

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Oscar-winning friendship

The “Armageddon” star has a direct connection to the fact that Damon dropped out of university in his final year. Ben Affleck. future popular actors was about 10 years old when they met and found out that they lived on neighboring streets. For many years they were united not only by strong friendship, but also by a passion for cinema, which gradually grew into a dream to conquer Hollywood.

Damon, while studying at Harvard University, made his debut with a cameo role in the film Mystic Pizza, and Affleck has played small roles in films since childhood. However, the friends understood that they wanted more, and came to a simple conclusion: if there is no film in which the main roles await them, then they will write it themselves.

Already in 1997, on the desk of the producer of the film company Miramax, there was a script for Good Will Hunting with the names of two unknown authors - Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Many film studios managed to evaluate the manuscript, but refused to buy it because the young screenwriters themselves wanted to play in the film.

By a lucky coincidence, Miramax agreed to meet the purposeful guys, and as a result of cooperation, a picture appeared with a budget of $10 million, which grossed as much as $225 million at the worldwide box office. The friends always believed in their success, but did not even dream that their joint work would be awarded Oscar Award for Best Screenplay, and they will quickly be included in the list of leading Hollywood actors.

After the premiere of the film “Good Will Hunting,” Damon shared his impressions of filming: “At the words “Episode 1. Take 1. Motor,” tears rolled down my cheeks, as in novels. We spent four years writing this script. For four years we pinned all our hopes on him. And suddenly they heard Robin Williams pronounces phrases we have labored through. At this point it was impossible to hold back any longer. I glanced sideways at Ben, he was also standing and crying. And Robin then hugged us, patted our heads like a father and said: “This is not a dream, boys, you really have achieved success.”

Matt Damon and Robin Williams "Good Will Hunting", 1997. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Million Dollar Actor

After the release of the film “Good Will Hunting,” Damon was literally bombarded with filming offers: “Saving Private Ryan,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Dogma,” “Untamed Hearts,” “Ocean’s Eleven.” In one year, the artist managed to work in several films at once. However, quantity never affected quality.

The actor took his roles very seriously and was ready to do almost anything to fully match the image. To play the lead role in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Damon learned to play the piano and lost 13 kg in just a couple of months. And for the role of Mark Whitaker in the film “The Informant,” on the contrary, he gained 15 kg. It is not surprising that directors still consider it a great success to get a Hollywood star on their set. Firstly, he guarantees the film’s box office success, and secondly, he respects the team’s work. According to Damon: “The film is like a magic trick involving hundreds of people. And the actor is a rabbit who must be pulled out of a hat. All he can do is sit quietly and try not to screw everything up.”

In August 2007, according to Forbes magazine, Damon was included in the list of the highest-grossing actors of our time. And this is just the beginning. The artist never stops starring in Hollywood blockbusters. The last one is “The Martian” Ridley Scott— will be released on Russian screens on October 8, just on Damon’s birthday.

In addition to huge fees and prestigious awards, Damon has long earned the most valuable thing - the recognition and love of the public, to whom he proves by his own example that “it’s possible to get into Hollywood, or even Buckingham Palace, from the street.” First you just need to get up and go.”

Matt Damon's childhood

According to Matt, his mother turned out to be a real fortune teller. She always knew that Matt would become an actor, while the woman predicted a career for Kyle as an artist or sculptor, although she never told her sons about her guesses. But their fate turned out exactly as she expected.

Matt himself, who was a very persistent and stubborn kid, didn’t even think about acting as a child. At the age of 6, he suddenly wanted to become a basketball player and tormented those around him with requests to throw the ball into the hoop with him. Then the father came to the boy and told his son not to bother his head with nonsense, because in the Damon family few people grew to at least 160 centimeters, and with sports training things were even worse. After much persuasion, little Damon forgot about his dream.

Meet Ben Affleck

Until the end of school, the teenagers spent time lounging at Ben's house, drinking beer, writing and acting out short skits, and going on auditions - a couple of times they even got a role in the crowd.

At this point, Matt slightly curbed his desire to become an actor. Ben went to look for happiness, great roles and huge fees in New York, and Matt got busy preparing for college and entered Harvard, the English department.

Acting career of Matt Damon. First roles

Matt Damon's first role (Mystic Pizza)

After this, Damon revived his forgotten dream of becoming an actor and confronted his parents with a fait accompli - he was going to New York to try his luck at auditions. His parents informed him that he could not count on their help, and Matt set off with meager savings of $200.

Having reunited in New York, the friends again began to look for an outlet for their irrepressible energy, but were only able to find work in advertising for TJ Maxx supermarkets. In 1989, the young actor starred in the film “The Son is a Rising Star” and firmly decided to leave Harvard.

Who knows how much effort it took Matt not to ruin his relationship with his parents, who were, to put it mildly, not happy about his action. But just a year later, he and his friend received the main roles in the film School Ties, along with other aspiring actors: Chris O'Donnell and Brendan Fraser. A few months later, Matt got the role of Lieutenant Davis in the box office failure of the western Geronimo: An American Legend.

In 1996, two diametrically opposed films starring Matt Damon were released: the student comedy “Splash of Glory,” which grossed a measly $15,000, and the war drama “Courage in Action,” for which Matt lost 40 pounds. However, the efforts were not in vain, because after the premiere, critics called Matt a real breakthrough of the year.

Very soon he had the honor of starring alongside Danny DeVito in the thriller “The Benefactor.” His character, a young lawyer Rudy Baylor, became disillusioned with the profession, but fate gave him an extremely dangerous chance to achieve instant success. As filming progressed, he again had to gain back the kilograms he lost during the filming of Courage in Battle.

The Birth of Good Will Hunting

A couple of years later, the Miramax film studio released a film that, with a budget of $10 million, grossed $225 million worldwide, won two Oscars (one went to friends for best screenplay, and the second went to Robin Williams for best actor) with nine nominations. After the premiere, the press immediately dubbed Matt Damon “the ruler of women’s hearts.”

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon win Oscars

A year later, Matt Damon played Steven Spielberg in the drama Saving Private Ryan. Tom Hanks, Vin Diesel, Tom Sizemore and Jeremy Davis tried to get Matt Damon home to ease his mother's pain from losing her three eldest sons at once. The film won 5 Oscars and was named the highest-grossing film of 1998.

Almost simultaneously, the film “Rounders” starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton was released. The crime thriller was rated quite well, but in comparison with “Private Ryan” it went almost unnoticed.

In 1999, viewers saw the actor in the films “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Dogma” by Kevin Smith. The first film introduced Matt Damon as a true master of disguise - he had to play a man who plays another man.

The second film was his benefit performance with his best friend, Ben Affleck. They played the fallen angels Loki and Bartleby, who endangered all human existence.

During this period, Matt admitted, his career developed so rapidly that sometimes he woke up in the middle of the night and wondered: why was he so lucky?

The next landmark work with Damon's participation was released in 2001. Matt was one of eleven specialists hired by George Clooney's character for the most daring casino robbery in the history of mankind. Damon's character is a young pickpocket Linus Caldwell. Subsequently (in 2004 and 2007), the film received a sequel, which won great love among viewers around the world.

At the same time, filming was underway for another major project, “The Bourne Identity.” This film about an amnesiac FBI agent literally revived interest in the spy thriller genre. Already on the third day after the premiere, Matt Damon received about 30 job offers.

Two years later, the creators released the film “The Bourne Supremacy,” and a little later, “The Bourne Ultimatum.” The film also has a spin-off starring Jeremy Renner.

A year later, several successful films starring Damon appeared on the screens. These are the detective drama The Departed by Martin Scorsese and The False Temptation by Robert De Niro. Filming took place in parallel, so the actor needed a lot of strength to quickly change from one image to another.

Matt Damon plays poker

In 2014 he appeared in cast science fiction film "Interstellar" starring Matthew McConaughey. Damon's character turned out to be very insidious.

It is not known whether this came out on purpose or not, but a year later Matt appeared as the complete opposite of his hero from “Interstellar” in another “space” film – “The Martian”. As a result of an accident at the station, Mark Watney was forgotten on Mars. While waiting for a rescue expedition, he began to settle on a deserted and deadly planet for humans. Matt Damon was even nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actor category, but the statuette went to Leonardo DiCaprio for his role in The Revenant.

Personal life of Matt Damon

His next passion, model Kara Sands, also couldn’t stand the competition with cinema. After the breakup, Matt fell in love with almost every colleague on the set: Minnie Driver, Gwyneth Paltrow,

Baby Gia Zavala was born in 2008, and Stella Zavala in 2010. Matt is also raising his wife’s daughter from his first marriage, Alexia (born 1999).

Matt Damon today

The Graham Norton Show: Matt Damon on the New Bourne

Matt Damon was also cast in the lead role in the mystical detective story “The Great Wall” (2016), which reveals the secret of the construction of the main attraction of China. In 2017, two premieres were released starring Matt Damon: the comedy Downsizing and the crime thriller Suburbicon, which was originally supposed to star George Clooney.

In the psychological thriller Unsane (2018) by Steven Soderbergh, Matt played a supporting role and appeared before the audience as a detective.

In 2019, the release of David Fincher's thriller "Ness" with Damon in the title role is planned, as well as the biographical film "Ford v Ferrari", where Matt's co-stars will be Christian Bale and Caitriona Balfe.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck - the friendship of this famous Hollywood couple has long been recognized as one of the strongest and longest lasting. It is known that the young people met as children aged 6-8 years. Years later, the relationship between 44-year-old Matt Damon and 42-year-old Ben Affleck is still the epitome of true friendship.

The Story of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Friendship

The future actors met in 1978. Their houses were located on the same street in a place near Boston (Massachusetts), two blocks from each other. Already at that time the boys became best friends. In addition, it is known that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are related to each other. Experts in genealogical research have found that the actors are cousins ​​in the 10th generation. Over the years, the friendship between the two brothers only grew stronger. After graduating from school, the young people ended up in New York, where they tried themselves in various films. However, not a single role brought them either fame or worthy financial reward. Friends decide to write a script for the film “Good Will Hunting”, in which the main roles should be intended for them. This condition became the main obstacle to selling the script. However, it was still purchased by Miramax Films. The film was a great success and in 1997 was awarded an Oscar for best screenplay. Ben Affleck woke up as celebrities. After Good Will Hunting, the actors had many roles in their careers, some of which made them even more popular. In 2002, Ben Affleck was named the most sexy man on the planet according to People magazine. 5 years later, this title was awarded to his friend Matt Damon.

They have known each other for more than 30 years and even became co-owners of a joint production company, Pearl Street Films. Here they work on common projects and enjoy mutual communication.

• 30 celebrity photos that made us nostalgic

Recently it became known that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck launched their own show called Project Greenlight, which translates as “Green Light”. This is a real reality show designed to help aspiring directors learn how to create their own feature films. The entire filming process is under the strict control of long-time friends Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as well as other film industry professionals invited to the project.

“You can walk around Hollywood with a checkbook and offer a million dollars to anyone who says anything bad about Matt, and be absolutely sure that you won’t have to write a check,” Steven Soderbergh once said. Indeed, Matt Damon has a positive reputation, and undoubtedly, this is the case when it was earned honestly. ELLE chose 15 interesting facts about the actor celebrating his 47th birthday today.

Damon played his first role in the film Mystic Pizza. At the time of filming, he was 17 years old, he had just entered university, and was probably glad to appear in a Hollywood movie, even if only with one line in the frame. By the way, the main role in “Mystical Pizza” was played by Julia Roberts (for whom this film was only the fourth). 14 years later, Matt and Julia met again - in Ocean's Eleven.

When Matt was still in school, his mother told him that he would probably become an actor. Mom was not mistaken. However, she refused to support her son’s desire to go to New York and study at an acting school there, so Matt had to earn money on his own by breakdancing on the streets. Which is quite difficult to imagine.

Everyone knows that Matt is Ben Affleck's best friend. The guys studied at the same school, made their way into films together (they even lived in the same apartment, taking the younger Affleck and Casey with them), together they wrote the script for “Good Will Hunting,” which changed their lives overnight. However, in their joint, so to speak, biography, there are not the most obvious facts. For example, the fact that of the two of them, Matt was the most active in terms of girls, and Ben was very embarrassed, and Matt dragged his friend on dates to cure his shyness.

Both, while still in school, tried to get into the famous show “The Mickey Mouse Club,” where Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Ryan Gosling started. But they were not taken.

Of course, this is an accident, but Damon's filmography is full of films whose titles include his character's first or last name. We begin to list: “Good Will Hunting”, “Saving Private Ryan”, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, “Spirit: Soul of the Prairie”, “The Bourne Identity”, “The Bourne Ultimatum”, “The Bourne Supremacy”, “Jason Bourne”.

He lost weight twice for roles - first for the military drama “Courage in Battle”, then for filming in the film “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. In the first case, Matt lost 20 kilograms using a diet he developed (chicken, egg whites and cabbage). The weight went off in just a hundred days, and Damon almost ruined his health - he began to have heart problems. It is not surprising that after the premiere the actor, in real life who loves food and prefers pizza, said that he would never torture himself again. Three years passed and the promise was broken - the prospect of playing Tom Ripley in the film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel prompted Matt to go on a diet again. Result - 13.5 kg down.

Still from the film “Courage in Battle”

Few people know, but Damon - and Jake Gyllenhaal - were the first and main candidates for the role of Jake Sully in Avatar. However, James Cameron unexpectedly cast aspiring Australian actor Sam Worthington. From another high-profile role - in the film "The Fighter" - Matt found himself, losing to Mark Wahlberg.

Damon and his wife Luciana Bosan Barroso have some tough family rule- do not separate for more than two weeks. So when Matt had to go to South Africa to film Invictus, he paid for the relocation of the entire class in which his adopted daughter studied, and even the teacher. Rules are rules, Matt doesn't break them.

Matt Damon and his wife

The role of Jason Bourne, which rebooted Damon's career, which began to sour in the early 2000s, was given to him to some extent thanks to Brad Pitt. Pitt took a long time to decide whether to take on “The Bourne Identity” or not, and in the end he chose “Spy Games,” a more serious project. Then director Doug Liman offered the role to Damon.

Answering the question at the height of the presidential campaign in the United States whether he would like to become president, Matt said that politics does not attract him, but if Ben Affleck (who is more suitable for this) gets into White House, then he, Matt, would not mind sitting in the vice president's chair.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck

When Affleck first started dating Jennifer Lopez, Damon advised him to be careful, and if he could, then break up with his new girlfriend altogether. Ben did not listen, which he later greatly regretted.

At one time, Matt topped the list of celebrities with whom women would like to have children.

The actor smoked like a locomotive for a long time, but quit very quickly - after several sessions of hypnosis.

The fantastic film “In Short” was released about an unexpected solution to the problem of overpopulation of the planet: a technology for reducing people, thanks to which in 200 years the whole world can be made miniature. One of the main roles in the film is played by Matt Damon. As part of the release of the new film, we have prepared a selection best roles Matt Damon. From “The Bourne Ultimatum” to “The Martian”.

The Departed (2006)

Two best graduate police academy found themselves on opposite sides of the barricade: one of them is a mafia agent in the ranks law enforcement agencies, the other is a “mole” embedded in the mafia. Everyone considers it their duty to discover and destroy the enemy, but constant life in distorted realities changes inner world heroes.

Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen (2001–2007)

Once again, gangster Danny Ocean gathers his gang of professional robbers and swindlers. The number of casinos that have fallen into the hands of Ocean’s team can no longer be counted.

Good Will Hunting (1997)

Will Hunting is a 20-year-old prodigy from Boston who keeps getting into trouble. And when the police arrest him for another fight, the mathematics professor takes him under his wing, but on one condition: Will must undergo psychotherapy. The "re-education" sessions, which begin with mistrust, gradually develop into friendship between Will and his mentor. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck worked on the film's script. original idea which received an Oscar.

Suburbicon (2017)

Suburbicon is a sunny, quiet town in the heart of America. Happy families, cozy homes and well-groomed lawns. Everything is in the best traditions American dream. However, suddenly a measured life is interrupted by a shocking event - an exemplary family experiences an invasion of their family nest. This event pushes them to the worst actions in their idyllic life - blackmail, revenge and betrayal.

Great Wall (2016)

The Great Wall was erected to protect the Celestial Empire from any threats, but even its bravest defenders did not face such an enemy. If the invasion is not stopped, the world will be destroyed.

The Martian (2015)

The Ares 3 Mars mission was forced to urgently leave the planet due to an approaching sandstorm. Engineer and biologist Mark Watney suffered damage to his suit during a sandstorm. The mission staff, considering him dead, evacuated from the planet, leaving Mark alone.

Interstellar (2014)

When drought brings humanity into a food crisis, a team of explorers and scientists travel through a wormhole (which supposedly connects regions of space-time across great distances) on a journey to surpass previous limits on food production. space travel people and resettle humanity on another planet.

Treasure Hunters (2014)

The film is based on real events- the greatest treasure hunt in history. During World War II, a team of art historians and museum curators band together to save famous works art stolen by the Nazis before they could destroy them.

Zero Theorem (2013)

Eccentric computer genius Cohen Leth struggles with an unsolvable theorem. Thanks to a virtual reality suit invented by the boy Bob, Summer manages to travel into hidden space and discover the secret of his soul. This solution is sought not only by himself, but also by the mysterious Management, which rules the entire world through all-seeing devices called ManCams.

Elysium: Heaven on Earth (2013)

In the year 2154, there are two classes of people: the very rich, living on a space station called Elysium, and the rest, living on an overpopulated, destroyed Earth. However, there is a limit to everything.

Promised Land (2012)

Corporate agent Steve Butler and his partner Sue Thomason arrive in a small town... recent years experiencing a crisis. Local residents are ready to accept the company's offer and agree to drill a well on their property. Things get complicated when a school teacher and a union representative, with whom Steve has personal scores, get involved.

We bought a zoo (2011)

The film tells the story of how the Mi family spent all their savings to save an abandoned rural menagerie with two hundred exotic animals that were in danger of death.

Contagion (2011)

An international organization of doctors, together with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is trying to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

Reality Changers (2011)

By chance, Congressman David Norris learns that the world is moving according to a pre-written plan, the execution of which is monitored by people in hats with supernatural powers working in a certain Bureau of Adjustment. As luck would have it, the plan does not provide for further intersections with the ballerina Eliza, with whom the politician is in love. David enlists the support of one of the Bureau agents and begins an unequal struggle with the others, defending freedom of choice and personal happiness...

Iron Grit (2010)

This film tells the story of a 14-year-old girl, an aging bailiff, Rooster Cogburn, and another lawman. Together they follow the trail of the girl's father's killer, which leads into hostile Indian territory.

Beyond (2010)

The film tells three parallel and ultimately intersecting stories about people who have known death - a French journalist who survived the 2004 tsunami, and a ten-year-old boy who lost his twin brother in a car accident. They meet a man who can talk to the dead, who can give them answers and comfort - a man who is dead tired of hearing the voices of the dead in his head.

Don't Take Alive (2009)

IN Green zone occupied Iraq - territory under the control of the United States Army - CIA agents search in vain for traces of weapons of mass destruction. The bias of the investigation becomes obvious to officer Roy Miller, who tried to make the results public. But how far can generals go if they decide to restore order in an unstable region at any cost?

Unconquered (2009)

A film about the time after the fall of apartheid, when South Africa hosted the 1995 Rugby World Cup. At that time, Nelson Mandela was in his first presidential term, trying to use every opportunity to end many years of misunderstanding between the white and black populations of the country.

Informant (2009)

What to do if you accidentally become an informer, b Having become a promising employee of an agro-industrial corporation?

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Captain John Miller receives a difficult task. Together with a squad of eight people, Miller must go behind enemy lines in search of Private James Ryan, whose three siblings died almost simultaneously on the battlefields.

Shulera (1998)

There's a big game going on in New York's underground clubs. It has its own rules and special rates. Here you can lose everything, but, if you're lucky, secure your future.

Dogma (1999)

Two fallen angels, doomed to live in Wisconsin for eternity, have learned that they have a chance to return to heaven. All one has to do is take advantage of the erroneous Catholic church dogma proclaimed by the innovative cardinal: everyone who passes through the consecrated arch in the cathedral in New Jersey receives absolution. Having passed through it, they will receive forgiveness, then they need to become mortal, die and return to heaven.

The Legend of Bagher Vansa (2000)

War veteran Rannulf Junnah was once the best golfer in all of Savannah. But now he is just a drunkard disappointed in life. Suddenly, the mysterious Bagger Vance appears in his life.He reveals to Rannulph the secrets of true mastery of the game. Now Junnah is ready for the big competition.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Tom Ripley knew that sooner or later he would make his way to the top. One day, after a chance acquaintance, one of the richest men in America gives Tom an assignment to go to Italy and convince his son, who is wasting money in Europe, to return to the States...Soon Tom meets Dickie Greenleaf and Marge. Their luxurious life fascinates Tom. And later circumstances develop in such a way that he decides to take Dickie’s place.

Brothers Grimm (2005)

Once upon a time, there lived two adventurer brothers, Will and Jacob Grimm, who later became famous storytellers. But before that, they traveled through villages, collecting folklore and “driving away evil spirits” for money. But one day everything changed.

Untamed Hearts (2000)

Two young cowboys - John Grady Cole and Lacey Rawlins - leave their native Texas to seek adventure and new friends in Mexico. And, of course, they can easily find both in this beautiful and harsh region.