Matt Damon is doing promotion for The Martian, based on the book by Andy Weir and also starring Kristen Wiig, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara and my favorite, Chiwetel Ejiofor. An astronaut (Damon) gets stranded on Mars and has to use available resources to survive until he can be rescued. The second trailer has come out (go here to see), and it looks incredible. I’ve already gushed over the first trailer, and I can’t wait to see this movie, which is out October 2.
Of course Damon is getting questions about his BFF Ben Affleck’s divorce, and he’s previously said that Affleck is “great” and happy, basically. In a new interview, available on Entertainment Tonight’s website, Damon got asked a ton of questions about Affleck and he was professional and friendly as usual but it’s got to be annoying to be constantly asked about your friend when you have something to plug. Also, Damon looks SO HOT. He’s buffed up for his role in The Great Wall, filming now, and he joked about how he has to watch what he eats now but will indulge in February when he gets a break.
On how Ben is doing
He’s good. I think marriage is insane. It’s a crazy idea. I love being married to my wife. I wouldn’t tell anybody else anything about their relationship. I’m lucky I found my wife. If there’s any secret it’s that, to feel lucky.On marriage
But so much of it is out of your hands.. I mean, I just had that conversation with my father this weekend. He says the same thing to me. Says it’s God’s grace, is what he said. Because you just don’t… get lucky.On if he ever wants to just have a beer and burger
I always look for an excuse to hang out and have a beer and a burger. But no, right now, I have to be in shape, just until February, and then I’m going off the rails.
I remember when Damon gained a little weight for The Adjustment Bureau. I still would have. He looks amazing now though. As for his buddy Ben, I guess Matt is probably relieved that this is Ben’s scandal, not his. I mean I do buy that he loves his wife and is faithful, but I also think he’s very controlling of his image. Matt must know that Ben dug his own hole, he’s known the guy for decades and he’s seen him self destruct time and again.
There’s a story from OK! Magazine that Affleck and Garner are calling off their divorce, but I think they’re just basing that on all the family photo ops those two are doing.
These are photos of Damon and his wife, Luciana, outside the gym on 8-18. Damon is also shown out on 8-18 and at a Q&A at NASA’s jet propulsion lab with astronaut Drew Feustel on 8-18. Credit: WENN.com
He looks really cute in the last two photos.
I find his use of the word “lucky” here really weird. Lucky that she’s ok with you cheating, Matt?
Shots fired!
Yeah, maybe he was nervous about the question? But definitly a weird word choice.
I guess there’s numerous ways to read that statement because I was wondering if he meant subtle shade in that he got “lucky” with his wife and Ben didn’t? If that is what he meant I think it probably slipped because I don’t think that’s Damon’s MO. and he was probably nervous in how to respond.
I didn’t read anything strange in it – sometimes we get lucky. People change and things happen in life and relationships. I took it to mean that he is lucky in having a partner with who he can ride those changes and still stay close.
That’s how I read it, too. There is a certain amount of luck involved, since marriage is fundamentally unpredictable and based on a leap of faith.
Do you know how so many spouses say they married up? I took “lucky” to mean that. I think it helps if both people in the marriage feel lucky to be on the journey with the other because they are less likely to take each other for granted. At least that’s what I thought he meant.
Agreed, that Damon feels he is lucky to have found his wife because it works with her and their marriage is a good one. About Affleck, I don’t think it’s necessarily that he had ‘bad luck’ with Jennifer Garner–I think Ben has always been a gambler and a party kind of guy. In fact, I remember reading long ago that he would never change his ways and that’s pretty much why he wasn’t settled down with someone. I believe he and Jen truly love each other, but Ben’s probably put in his years being a family man and husband and now he wants to go back to his party ways to some extent. Of course, that doesn’t work so well with a wife and family. Maybe he’s cheated, too, which definitely doesn’t work. I don’t see Damon as being the same kind of guy at all even though they are best friends.
Or” Lucky” that his wife is not as contoling as JG? Or perhaps “lucky” that his wife is not a cheater? I’m team Jen G but matt’s wording here has me analyzing his word choice. Maybe I’m looking too much into it but I became curious as to why his mind went for those words. I’m sure he knows more than we do about their break up.
Nah. I think talking about luck is his way of suggesting sometimes things don’t work out and it’s no ones fault, just luck.
I agree with Damon’s assessment about luck and marriage. It works out for some people; it doesn’t work out for other people — as with any opportunity or avoidance of disaster, some luck has to be involved. At least, that’s my general impression of marriage. Ben Affleck might have brought some things on himself (like the nanny!), but obviously Matt can’t say that. What can he say? I mean, he’s his friend.
Yep I thought about that as well, Dana. I too thought it might be a subtle dig at JG.
I’d guess JG is the unlucky one here, After all BG made lots of choices that affected the marriage negatively (maybe she did too? not seeing them though). Those are his bad choices, nothing to do w luck.
Maybe he means “lucky” in “I’m fortunate not to have an addictive personality that makes it impossible for me to stay sober/stay faithful/not be a f – up, and therefore I’m able to stay married”
He’s faithful? You’re certain of that?
@Jorts – he’s continually stated that his wife is the very best thing to have happened to him, that he admires her strength, her love of family, that she’s his rock. Compare that to Affleck’s stilted and back-handed compliments to his wife and you’ll see that Matt Damon truly adores his wife and family and wouldn’t stray or screw it up with drugs, booze and gambling.
Wait so now we’re judging Hollywood marriages based on what the husband says about his wife to the press? Keep in mind that they’re actors. How many married celebs have talked glowingly about their spouses only to divorce them a year later?
I’m not saying Damon definitively cheated but I won’t ignore the rumors about him just because I like the guy.
I guess I don’t understand how saying that marriage is “work” is so much worse than saying marriage is a “crazy idea.”
*shrugs*
@Jorts, who wrote: “He’s faithful? You’re certain of that?”
LOL! Are ‘you’ sure that he’s not faithful? 🙂
@Jorts: Wasn’t making a judgment regarding Damon being faithful or not, just giving another option for interpreting his remarks.
@Emma – The JP Lover- I heard Damon went sniffing around La Jolie on the set of The Good Shepherd.
Sources say they did It.
Hahaha, she was pregnant with BP’s baby, but whatever…
@Ennie …
Pesky things like ‘facts’ hardly matter when the goal is to spread unfounded rumors. Of course, if ‘sources’ claim it, it must be true.
@Jorts, who wrote: “@Emma – The JP Lover- I heard Damon went sniffing around La Jolie on the set of The Good Shepherd. Sources say they did It.”
@Ennie is correct, ‘La Jolie’ was pregnant with Shiloh when she filmed “The Good Shepherd” (December 2006) with Matt Damon (Matt’s wife Luci was pregnant as well, their oldest daughter is a month younger or a month older than Shiloh). Filming began in the fall of 2005 and continued through the early part of 2006. Brad Pitt accompanied ‘La Jolie’ to all locations where the film was shot, so unless Matt crawled over Brad to do the deed, I’m calling B.S. Here is a link to a January 12, 2006 Associated Press story in “China Daily” covering the fact that Angie was indeed pregnant as well as ‘La Jolie,’ Brad, Maddox, and baby Zahara arriving on location in the Dominican Republic to film scenes for “The Good Shepherd.”
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-01/12/content_511646.htm
What are you talking about? I read it as “get lucky to meet the right person and keep the love alive” not CHEATING and getting away with it, geeez..
Right? All the over analyzing just for the sake of having something to gossip about? He was ~lucky~ to find his soulmate and have their marriage work out, so many people aren’t that ~lucky~ why is that so damn weird? Jeeeeeeez.
maybe he meant fortunate? Someone came into his life by chance, and he has gratitude for her.
Ya’ll are way too easily trolled. I’m trying to decide whether it was fun or not.
I’m leaning towards “not fun” because it wasn’t challenging.
@jorts, you crack me up
Highly highly highly recommend the book The Martian when you’re not busy trolling. Given, I’m a super astronaut groupie dork, but I couldn’t put it down.
Aw, nobody likes Jorts 🙁
I’m going to go read The Martian per your recommendation, Size Does Matter. Do you have any self-help books?
Apparently, I need to better myself.
@Side Eye The book is amazing. Jorts, you should hear it on audio. It’s the best. The guy who reads it does it really well.
I’ve decided he meant Lucky as in that’s what he calls his wife.
“You just don’t get Lucky.” His father was trying to explain to him that God’s grace is why their relationship works because Matt clearly doesn’t “get Lucky.”
solved it.
Poor Affleck, the sex and gambling addict – how does someone like him get lucky anyway?
This is the best he’s looked in years. I don’t normally find him attractive, but…he could get it right now, for sure.
+1 From the first pic, I was like “hey, Matt Damon, how you doin’?”
Though to be fair, if at any time I HAD to choose between him and Affleck, it always would have been Damon just based on lack of obvious douchery.
@Bettyrose, who wrote: “+1 From the first pic, I was like “hey, Matt Damon, how you doin’?”
🙂
🙂
Yea, verily, yea! I’m sure the ‘Buff’ is for the new “Bourne” film they’re working on.
I have a monster crush on him that’s been going strong for 16 years and counting. He looks great!
+1. I always thought that he is an awesome actor, but this is the first time I find him really hot, too.
I think he looks his best when he’s blonder and less buff – very boyish. Other than that, he’s also ageing extremely well. He could pass for 34, not 44.
Yes ma’am….
I’ve never thought I wanted to tap that, but damn, he looks good.
A true friend, that Matt is.
Yup, I think so too. Just trying to do right by his friend in public, which really is a kind thing to do.
Yup. I wouldn’t parse his words too much. He’s just trying to get through the stupid question and leave himself and his friend intact.
It is kind and I think it also speaks to the depth of their friendship. Because Matt seems to be a decent human being and I doubt he would publicly criticize the institution of marriage just willy-nilly. He must have been holding Ben’s hand quite a bit all these years and be intimately familiar with the struggles Ben has been having. Hence his choice to be kind and take an unpopular, risky stance with that statement about marriage.
Ugh. I like Matt, but his comments aren’t exactly promising. It almost seems to attribute marital issues as “oh well, marriage is crazy and lots of things can happen…this is all chance…you have no control.” I know that isn’t what he said precisely, but that is the gist of what I got from it.
I give him a pass for that fact that in that milieu I wouldn’t want to truly share my feelings on the matter, either. Plus, I have never found being married to be a lot of work – my hubs might say otherwise ; ) – but we’re only 12 years in, though. I do feel really lucky that I found someone I mesh so well with, and I would never throw public shade at the dissolution of a friend’s marriage.
Plus, I feel like he’s shaded Affleck plenty of times for overkill on pap walks, etc, to create the illusion of a happy family man. In this particular case, Damon is wise to steer clear rather than shading his friend.
Side note to Affleck, see how easily Damon slipped in a compliment to his wife? how freakin’ hard is it to give a bland but upbeat statement about your marriage? The Oscars is NOT the time to be all “man, my wife is a nagging biotich” or however exactly he phrased it.
I think he is trying to be as non committal about what happened in Ben and Jen’s relationship as possible while pointing out his is great. How can he do that without just saying how lucky he is to have found his wife. That is just luck otherwise it’s like yep Jen is an opportunist who married Ben for fame and is an unbearable shrewish famewhore or yeah my boy is a dog who constantly screwed around and disrespected his wife. But saying you know it’s luck it’s part of god’s plan takes any responsibility off either party. And kills the line of questioning- which I imagine he doesn’t want to be answering.
But Christo, wouldn’t the alternative have been to throw his friend under the bus? He could either say ,”you don’t know the whole story” which would cast aspersions on Jennifer, a triage is a matter of luck”. Or “He was such a cheating, gambling dog, it’s amazing it lasted that long!” Not an easy out!
Exactly. Matt took a route that allows him to respond to the inevitable questions without insulting Ben or Jen, which is the only thing a gentleman can do. We’ve all watched friends make terrible choices — sometimes repeatedly. And most of us have been that friend who made a terrible choice at some time in our lives’ too. A good friend shouldn’t be an apologist for bad behavior, but they also should be expected to throw their buddy (or his wife) to the wolves.
I was all set to get my annoyance on, to the tune of, “just don’t get married if you don’t believe in it,” but I can relate to what he said here. It’s what you feel when you’re in a solid relationship, and your friend is going through hard times after breaking up with some asshole, and she’s like, “what’s the secret to a happy relationship?” and you’re like, “I’m fucked if I know. Just like each other lots!” Somehow other people’s unhappiness always makes me feel uneasy rather than smug, because I realize the fragility of everything in life when someone else is down on their luck, and I know I am just like everyone else, not a relationship guru or a perfectly lovable human. I feel like my relationship is much more about dumb luck than personal virtue. I love lots, but I get it wrong sometimes, and so does my husband. I don’t think there are any secrets to happiness. I know if tragedy struck it could end tomorrow, and love means that you open yourself up to the possibility of heartache you hope will never come. Matt’s speech is a blend of romantic idealism and fatalism I can empathize with totally.
This is a good post.
Good words Senna – life is short and it’s precious and to deliberately eff up a good thing and bring sadness and stress to young children is unforgivable. Matt is merely trying not to rock the boat or create any more controversy for a family he clearly respects. There IS a certain amount of fate in relationships and one CAN say “I feel so lucky” when it meshes well. I reunited with someone I was with back in the seventies, loved, lost, and somehow our orbits intersected again last year. I consider myself lucky in the sense that we got a second chance, and given the passage of years and maturing we’ve done, it’s way better than when we were twenty-somethings and just learning how to love.
I agree with your comment, senna. I am in a happy relationship with an amazing man, but every time some of our friends broke up it terrifies me
….beautifully said, Senna.
@bettyrose Exactly! Who broadcasts their “hard work” marriage to the world at the Oscars during an acceptance speech? Douche!
He just keeps getting better with age.
You’re darn skippy he does. Dreamy sigh…
On marriage
But so much of it is out of your hands.. I mean, I just had that conversation with my father this weekend. He says the same thing to me. Says it’s God’s grace, is what he said. Because you just don’t… get lucky.
I don’t know, I feel like you have a lot more input into marriage and who you marry, than say how a kid turns out in personality and/or health issues, etc. I think luck may play into who you meet, but after that, it’s pretty much self-determination on how you handle things.
I think he’s just trying not to throw Ben under the bus. Like I don’t buy that he really believes this, I think he’s just giving an acceptable answer for his friend’s sake so he doesn’t have to delve into it.
Could be. But it has kind of a bad impending doom vibe for his own spouse, in a way. Like, he feels lucky now, but….
Yeah, it sounds to me like he’s almost talking in circles to try to avoid really saying anything damaging. It’s not his marriage, he probably shouldn’t be asked about it while promoting his work. Can you imagine in any other profession, doing an interview for your latest project and being asked about a friend’s divorce?
Agreed, CB. He is being put on the spot here to discuss a friend’s personal life when he needs to maintain a working relationship with that friend (Project Greenlight) and wants to maintain the deep friendship as well. He’s being as diplomatic as he can be.
The breakup of a friend’s marriage can be quite difficult for close friends.
I feel like we’re reading way too far into what he said. I doubt there was any deep, hidden meaning. I think it’s pretty simple. Ben is his best friend – he’s not going to throw him under the bus. Ever. Period. And why would he? He shouldn’t. And in terms of seeing ben “self destruct”, yes, he’s seen that, but don’t forget, Matt is probably one of the very few people who had real insight into Ben’s marriage. Granted, he would have been hearing more of Ben’s side of the story, but he’s no fool. I’m sure he knows what’s up and what’s down, regardless of what Ben tells him. That still doesn’t mean he’s going to throw shade – no, he’s going to be a support. And why are we all so sure that Matt thinks Jen is amazing and that Ben should wise up and stay with her? My opinion from the beginning, Ben’s vices aside, their personalities and humor-wise never seemed a good match – two things that I think are key in relationships, at least to me. So, Matt also might be saying that you just need to be lucky enough to find and marry the right person … for you. I really wouldn’t put too much stock in it. He’s just trying to skirt the question without seeming like he’s avoiding it and move on.
i agree. I mean when you cheat with the Nanny its not down to being lucky, its your own choice. Matt just tries to not say “OMG YOU DAMN DOUCHEBAG NOW I HAVE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN I WANT TO PROMOTE MY MOVIE”
Celebs also need to be super careful with not judging other peoples private life, if they did something themselves it will come to light then or someone will make something up to make him look like a hypocrit. so its the best bet to keep it cool. also bashing cheaters would be a bad political move in Hollywood.
I think a pat answer like, “As close as you can be to a person, you really don’t know the intimate details or dynamic of their marriage and relationship, and it’s not really appropriate for me to comment on that. I wish them the best”.
I agree with Kiddo. There were a number of ways he could have kept it diplomatic but his word choice was still very strange here.
its the cocktail waitress who got lucky.
(if some’s already said that, I missed it)
“Because you just don’t… Get lucky.”
Maybe that’s some very subtle shade thrown at Ben for being way too focused on “getting lucky” instead of focusing on the marriage he held on to only by the grace of God (and Jennifer Garner)? 😉 #conspiracytheorist
Ha! I like that.
I don’t know. You can do everything ‘right’ on your side but you have zero control over what the other person in your marriage does. It is to some extent luck if a couple manages to stay on the same page over the course of a lifetime. So many things can happen that change one or both people’s dreams, wants, needs, desires. I thought I’d be with my first husband forever, but some stuff happened and I realized I wasn’t living the life I wanted at all. Not my ex’s fault, and nothing he could do about it.
“you just don’t… get lucky.” … that’s all he could come up with? Ben didn’t get ‘lucky’? While I understand his position is difficult (and it must annoy the hell out of him to be asked about Ben) I think it’s a bit rude to put it on luck. His friend didn’t want to commit, of course he couldn’t say that, but he could’ve said something else.
I mean, I hope in private, Matt called out Ben on his shit.
I know he and Affleck are close but I think it is rude for interviewers to ask him to comment on Affleck’s divorce.
Honestly I think so too. I would have probably shut it down myself and say I am not going to speak about my friend’s personal life. Now what do you want to know about the movie?
Oops just said the same thing above! It is very weird and out of line.
I thought publicists could vet the types of questions that (certain) celebrities get asked, though.
I know right doesn’t seem appropriate. I guess he could have said no comment though.
I think the same. And that’s why he’s trying to give some sort of general answer. It’s an inconvenient situation for him…but I think he expected it.
Matt looks AMAZING. I’ve always liked him, though not quite for his looks, but here he looks incredible. That haircut and the facial hair works really well on him. <3
I really like the trailers though Ridley Scott’s latest work has been patchy, to say the least. Still, I’m gonna watch this movie I think.
I’ll agree that his bod looks tighter than ever, but I could never with that baby face. I like ’em old-looking.
He is looking delish in these pics. I can’t wait for this movie and only read the book last week and think he will nail this part.
Seriously, Matt is a big enough star to tell the reporters before hand that he won’t answer any questions about Ben and Jen! I think that is a terrible position for Matt to be in, and I would just say, not doing it! Matt is usuallly pretty up front, so I’m kinda surprised he hasn’t said that yet!
Also, I swear, if it wasn’t OK (pos) tabloid magazine, I would believe that Ben and Jen are willing to try again….I know people do it all the time, but I know, even when my ex-husband was being a cheat (over and over) it was very hard for me to leave with two small kids! Of course, I had to worry about money, also, and that, would be no problem for Jen….
That MD hasn’t shut those questions down tells me he is going to bat for BA, do some damage control. Which, fine, they’re friends. Just another example of celebs mixing the line between personal and professional when it suits them.
He still looks great. I will say though he’s always been one of my examples of the fact that the “movie star” is basically dead. He’s had a phenomenal number of box office bombs in between early hits and Bourne movies. However when he does flop he’s gone to a smart smaller project and built back up. He’s no guarantee of a hit but usually very smart in his choices. Elysium was a scifi disaster but this looks like it could hit.
@Mia45 …
I don’t agree with you about “Elysium,” but I respect your opinion. 🙂 I just wanted to let you know that “Elysium” actually made money for Sony and ‘they’ at least consider it a hit. I don’t think the movie was a flop at all. It ended up making $286 million worldwide ($93 million Domestic).
I forgot it did that well.
He’s had a few flops, just like anyone else, but I don’t think has had any huge budget films crash and burn. Some mid range or small films that didn’t take off, but that’s not terrible.
I love this guy. In recent years I’ve come to find him very attractive and I appreciate his acting. I also like that he’s seemingly one of the few people in Hollywood who seems capable of maintaining a normal relationship that he keeps out of the spotlight. It’s just refreshing to me when celebrities aren’t famewhores.
His comments on marriage are dumb, in my opinion. It is not all left up to fate or “out of your hands.” We don’t live our lives on autopilot, we make conscious choices. It’s true that sometimes things don’t work out, but I disagree that marriage is just some crapshoot. Then again, if this is the school of thought, it might explain why the divorce rate is so high. I can only assume he was uncomfortable talking about it, so he came up with some stupid word salad to avoid getting too personal or coming off as too judgmental about his friend’s personal life.
Meeting the right person is a crap shoot, dating, filtering and deciding to settle or one day walking into the right place at the right time and meeting that person who you want to wake up beside for the next 30 years is the magic. It could be described as “fate” or “out of your hands” especially if you had no intention of being there at that particular moment. Once married now that’s when the fun starts. Marriage is a balancing act, juggling with blazing bowling balls and doves..but once you find your rhythm and discover perceived flaws are just a part of creating a long lasting love affair based on mutual respect, interests, values, deep friendship, goals and gales of laughter – then you look back and think it must have been fate especially when you had no intention of being at that particular place when you met the person. After 15 years together my person is still the love of my life, right now their hair is a fuzzy mass and grumbling about their tightly scheduled day and why didn’t I clean the bathroom when I promised..I know they love me as deeply as I love them and I’ll clean the bloody bathroom before I go to work.
I love this!
I think he was trying to say as little as possible because he knew that any comment on the components that make a good marriage would be taken as a commentary on what went wrong with his friends marriage. He didn’t want to fuel more headlines and rumours about his friend so he said something that couldn’t do that.
I prefer him a bit chubby tbh but he’s always an attractive man and he keeps getting hotter.
“he was trying to say as little as possible because he knew that any comment on the components that make a good marriage would be taken as a commentary on what went wrong with his friends marriage. He didn’t want to fuel more headlines and rumours about his friend so he said something that couldn’t do that.”
Bingo.
yeah what was he going to say? It would light up a firestorm if he said something bad about Ben so he tried to generalize. (Or plotwist: he knows about what Jen did)
a certain amout of luck is needed for everything to suceed, you children not having severe illnesses is luck, you and your spouse growing in the same direction is luck, success in your career is also a bit part luck. so its a very watered down answer, he also includes his wife so as not to make the headline that “Matt Damon think Marriage is a crazy idea” and then have scrutinty in his own life.
I think Matt and Ben’s relationship has either strained over the years or Matt is truly more like Ben behind closed doors, just way smarter. Ben has a tendency to self-destruct and take with him everything in his path. Matt has never had a scandal or been a tabloid fixture. Either they are overplaying that bff forever angle or Matt outsmarted both Ben and Tom Brady.
Or maybe they’re just different people who happen to get along brilliantly and love each other as friends? I have longstanding friends that I wouldn’t inflict as a partner on my worst enemy but they’re great friends and they’re good people. We are all different things to different people.
I side eye anyone who cuts out people for not living up to their personal ideals in every area of life, that’s so judgemental and superficial. Not all of us are so prepared to lose out on good people in our lives because of their failure to be perfect in yours!!!!!!
This. These two are still extremely tight and included in the circle between the two is Casey, Ben’s brother. Matt talked about last year being on the phone to Casey for hours about a role Casey wasn’t sure he should take and wanted advice, and laughed and said when he talked to Ben, Ben said he then had been on the phone for hours to Casey after also.
These guys are as tight a friendship as two men can have. They trust each other, always have their backs, see the good in each other, know each other in a way as kids growing into adults, parents, etc. while a celebrity, that only they can understand and share. I’m sure Matt calls Ben out, but he sees both sides. Ben has probably been confiding in him for years about his marriage.
You don’t have to agree with everything a person does to still be close to them, because you see all the other wonderful parts to them that made you great friends to begin with. Ben and Matt had been working this past year on that Project Greenlight on HBO and also on producing together another TV project, a spy thriller coming out, Syfy pilot, with Julia Ormond. I can’t remember the name of it. They like and respect each other and a divorce and nannygate won’t change that for Matt.
I disagree that it’s about being judgmental. There are some people that just bring you down and cause destruction in the lives of everyone around them. Sometimes it’s best to let them go or else you will be down in the muck with them. That can be done with love.
I’m not saying it’s at that point with Ben but just there can be reasons that you cut off a friend for a while so they can get their s**t together. Especially if you have a family of your own to deal with.
“Or maybe they’re just different people who happen to get along brilliantly and love each other as friends?”
Hmmm. Now why isn’t this reasoning applicable to Tom Brady? When the post was about Tom being on the same plane as Affleck the commenters were all “you are the friends you keep” and “guilty by association” nonsense.
Amen! I have a friend who’s incapable of being faithful to women ( and I would never recommend any of my girlfriends go out with) but has proven time and time again to be a loyal friend. He’s an attorney who’s been instrumental in helping me out of some difficulties as well as a reliable shoulder to cry on. I have some friends that used to question our friendship because of his womanizing rep that have done a 180 after getting to know him.
People can continually surprise you if you park the judgement.
@Jayna
Completely agree. My dad has had a bromance like Ben/Matt since they were in eighth grade. They are completely different, in a lot of ways. Both are very driven and intelligent, but that’s about where it ends. My dad is a little straightlaced and serious, very technical. It takes a while for him to warm up. His friend is the complete opposite. He is pure F-U-N. Very charismatic, and just……weird. A fun weird. When you meet him for the first time, he will make you feel like you both have been friends for a lifetime. He’s very personable, and just listens. They have been friends for so long, been through a lot of stuff that could’ve ended their friendship (like his friend used to sell drugs in Chicago, and if it wasn’t for his parents, he would’ve been going to prison for a looooong time.), but they’ve stuck through it–thick and thin.
I think there are times that differences can be too much and people can’t really be in each others’ lives anymore, but other than that, people can be very different in how they handle things but still be great friends.
it depends on the definition of friendship with their careers and families they barely see each other. being on good terms and liking to catch up with someone is not necesarily a sign of deep friendship.
it could also be the other thing, doing the Nanny who clearly is thirsty was the dumbest idea ever. i dont know if Matt is faithful but he wouldnt do that. Just like Clooney, he is not the greatest guy alive but at least smart enough to keep his stunts a secret.
Don’t think this is true at all. Matt moved to his family to LA from NY, specifically to be closer to Ben and the kids. And they’re working on Project Greenlight and other projects together. I think it’s one of those old friendships – like all of us form when we’re really young – that endures through time, regardless of what turns lives take. Those friendships tend to be different than the ones you firm as a a adult, because you’ve known that person since you were kids, you know all sides of them – the good and the bad. Most of my childhood and high school friends (and even college), I will consider lifelong close friends, even if I never saw them again – I would be there for them in a heartbeat if they needed me.
Yeah why are people pretending that Ben and Matt “barely see each other”? Project Greenlight anyone?
I think Matt and Ben’s friendship is still close.
I think Matt was talking about his parents. In many of his earlier interviews Matt talked about how his parents divorced when he was 1 year old. His parents made sure they spent all important holidays and occasions together as a family. I don’t think he was throwing shade.
I remember when Matt got serious about his now wife….. he flew from New York to LA so he could introduce her to Ben. Now that is a serious friendship.
Plus as soon as Matt moved into Ben’s neighborhood Ben was always at Matt’s house. Matt probably never told him to go home (Ben was probably spilling the tea ……..). Matt knows more about this breakup than we will never know. He is just classy enough not to say anything.
Yes he is looking much better, but still does nothing for me.
Same here.
Yup.
Holy Canolli
He looks amazing.
As for his comments- I see what he’s doing. He’s walking the tight rope: I’m lucky as heck with my awesome wife but a happy marriage is gods grace so I can’t comment on Ben and Jen.
He does look good, and I am very excited for the movie. I just read the book last month and really loved it, and the trailer looks very good.
Well he steered away from that Ben question rather quickly, didn’t he? I would never speak about the marriage of a friend, especially publicly, so I don’t blame him. Too busy working on my own marriage to worry about the scandals of others.
Well Lainey has blinds about Matt that don’t paint him as the most faithful guy .. or the straightest. It’s pretty hard to believe, but Lainey also made it obvious that it’s Matt and said that she was shocked too. But she hasn’t talked about it in a long time, so i wonder if she either got bogus info or made it up herself and eased back when she saw how far-fetched it was
Matt is hot. I had a big crush on him in the Bourne movies
He may have gotten pinned in a corner on that question, but I’m not so sure he should be gushing about his own marriage, really.
Yeah, in general it’s not a good idea to boast about your marriage, because usually when a celeb does that Divorce is just around the corner.
Lainey’s blinds are conjecture more often than not so I wouldn’t put too much credence in them.
I was thinking of those blinds too when he said luck. As in lucky he hasn’t been called out himself. If he has been with men then that info becoming public would be a far bigger deal than whatever Ben is dealing with.
I have lost a lot of respect for Lainey after the whole Ben and Jen debacle, where she has insinuated 1. Ben cheated with someone in Canada 2. Ben has had a ton of affairs 3. Ben is into heavy drugs. And then she has failed to follow up with any real proof of anything. In fact, I am getting more and more convinced that 1. There was no cheating in Canada 2. Even if Ben had affairs Lainey does not have the pull to dig them up 3. Lainey totally made up the drug s**t.
I think that Lainey is a male-hater. I don’t know what she has against Matt and Ben, but she definitely has an agenda. I don’t like male-haters any more than I like female-haters.
He’s fine wine isn’t he?
I liked him in the Bourne movies but he’s so much more attractive now.
It’s weird how Matt and his wife and Ben and Jennifer never hung out. They are supposed to be best friends from childhood and they literally never hang out in public?
Ben said a while back they are like extended family with the two families. They were at Thanksgiving at Matt’s and Jen talked about what she was bringing. They go to to kids’ birthday parties. They were all out to dinner in a pap shot a while back. Matt moved back to California and right down the street so the kids could grow up together.
We don’t see everything in their private lives, but I imagine they used to pop over to each other houses a lot for dinners and pool parties for the kids with barbecues, etc., before Ben and Jen started falling apart.
We only see a snippet of their lives caught by paps.
God, he looks so boyish and cute!! Love him!
Can’t wait to see Matt in Gravity. Er, Interstellar, Uhm The Martian. Or whatever the name of this year’s astronaut stranded in space Oscar bait movie is.
Matt Damon is my ultimate Hollywood crush and I will put my fingers in my ears to anyone trying to convince me he’s a womanizing cheater. He is a good friend, a smart guy, and I want to believe he’s a great husband and father. (Doesn’t hurt that he is hot as hell)
Matt did “Get Lucky” here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDODV9JS8Cw
That remark about staying in shape (no burgers or beer) until February – that’s six months from now. That’s some discipline. I could sacrifice for a couple of months, but six? (Of course, I’m not going to get paid millions at the end of it…)
I think the money would make things easier.
Matt Damon has gotten hotter every year he’s aged. Hottie! I think self discipline and clean living pay off, but I can’t manage that!
OMG he looks SO HOT in here. i’ve always thought he was so much hotter than all those “traditional” pretty boys, hearttrobe men… and his face width has stayed the same unlike Dicaprio’s pancake face.
I’m glad someone else agrees with me. Whenever someone comes at me to annouce their marriage, I congratulate and wish the best, but in my mind I just think how insane is to make a promise to stay with the same person forever. I’m not saying I don’t believe in happy, faithful couples, but it’s just not for everyone.
What a stupid question to ask him. I like Matt. The minute I saw him in Courage Under Fire, I knew he was going to be a major movie star. He keeps his private life private and isn’t a showoff.
Has he done something to his face? He looks good, though.
Also, why is he being trotted out to comment on his friend’s marriage and divorce? Publicists ok these questions before events. Weird.
It’s God’s grace? Wonder when God is going to hook me up then?
Affleck is lucky to have him as a friend. Also, he looks absolutely fantastic!
His answer is the verbal equivalent of a giant,scary bug landing on you out of nowhere and you just kind of squawk,slap at it and walk backwards trying to get away from it. Nice try,dude. Your boy did it all himself.
I’m just here because Donald Glover is also in The Martian and he deserves a lotta love. And daaaamn, Matty D. My favorite role of his remains as Carol, Liz Lemon’s pilot boyfriend on 30 Rock.
LOL, I just rewatched those episodes. Sky Law!
I was happy to see Donald Glover in the cast too. He was always my favorite on Community.
Matt Damon was at least nice enough to provide an answer to the question without throwing an F-bom somewhere like Kristen Stewart. I wouldn’t have thrown an F-bomb, but I probably would have been all “Why are you asking me this? It’s not my marriage. Now get some manners and stop asking me to provide public information about someone else’s business, please.”
Exactly. And if you saw the interview, it was pathetic the way the amateurish, fawning “interviewer” handled it. You don’t necessarily need to play hard ball with these celebrities, but it was clear who was in the driver’s seat with this one.
I’m a little late to this party, but if this is from the same interview I saw on their program last night, those comments are a little out of context.
The interviewer asked about Ben and Matt said he’s ok. She then a little later (separate question) asked Matt for marriage advice since she is about to celebrate her 2nd anniversary and Matt is coming up on his 10th. The quote should start out something like, “Congratulations! Look, I can’t presume to give anyone marriage advice, marriage is a crazy idea…”. Matt probably realized it was a roundabout way of asking him about Ben’s marriage without ever mentioning Ben, and he handled it like the pro he is.
I’ll give the reporter credit and say she was a little more adept at the subtlety than a lot of other reporters usually are when they try this particular move but it was pretty obvious what she was really after.
He looks like Eric Dane in that second photo…yum ❤️
I thought the same thing!!
I think he answered the best he could, and it must suck to talk about Ben when he’s trying to do movie promo. And goodness, he looks so hot!
What’s so hard about saying, “Meh, my friend screwed up”? Many may disagree, but I don’t think it’s a mark of a bad friend to acknowledge their faults and care about them despite. As a friend of Damon’s, Jennifer might feel hurt by his lack of support. I know I would. It’s not “crazy marriage’s” fault that the marriage didn’t work out. It was (arguably) Ben’s constant cheating.
Its different talking like that to other friends compared to talking like this in public. Its all gossip at it is right now, Matt could only confirm certain stuff, that would not be wise. i dont think Jennifer expects Matt to say something and im sure she is glad he didnt comment on it as it would only keep it in the news for longer.
I agree, I’m sure Jen wouldn’t want him to comment in the first place. It would be so inappropriate. Also, this is not a “dis’ toward Jen at all, but I’m pretty sure Matt’s allegiance publicly will always be with Ben, not Jen – regardless of what happened. He may “like” Jen because she is/was married to Ben, but that’s probably the extent of the relationship – she was “his friend Ben’s wife.” While they may have hung out as couples years ago, even Ben jokingly said recently that “he” (Ben) – not his whole family – practically lives/lived at Matt’s house and that Matt’s wife Lucy must be sick of him.
I think you guys may be right. In a personal circle of friends, I guess I would hope that he would offer acknowledgement of his friend’s mistakes. It’s easy to forget at times that celebrities have “personal” lives. So much is aired to the public (intentionally and not intentionally) and even for me at times lines get blurred.
Additionally, it was a stupid question to ask Damon in an interview.
I’m sure Matt knows about most of Ben’s adventures, and they talk, but why saying anything publicly?
>> Don’t see as how any one Hollywood Celebrity should be commenting on another’s Marriage/Divorce, regardless of personal ties or friendships.
This topic aside===the trailers to The Martian look incredibly intense and I cannot wait to see the movie.
I live in a beach town in northern MA & he was here vacationing last week. The locals that got to meet him were thrilled. He was spotted running all over the place. It was exciting! If you say you’re from MA & Goodwill Hunting isn’t in your top 5 favorite movies we check your birth certificate for authenticity.
I’m excited for this movie. Not really gung ho about Matt Damon and Elijor playing Venkat Kapoor is a little weird. It’s sad Irrfan Khan couldn’t be in it, he’s perfect for Kapoor. And Mackenzie Davis should not be Mindy Park.
He looks so good! Is it because Batfleck looks like a dump truck lately and in my mind they’re forever linked so I have to compare them? His answer is gibberish but at the same time if he had shut it down it also would have come off overly defensive? As someone who has seen most of my married couple friends split I know what he means in a way though. It kind of does feel like dumb luck sometimes that I’m still married, the truth is it could go wrong for anyone at any time, and the minute you start doling out advice you do feel like you’re setting yourself up to fail. Pretty sure Matt is present and accounted for in his family in a way that Ben never was though, that’s just the impression I get.
He’s as exciting and interesting as a bowl of cold oatmeal. Meh.
Ah, maybe. But he carries himself with dignity and good humor. More and more, as I get older, I appreciate that.
I agree he’s bland as hell but he’s sort of noted this before by saying he’ll never be Clooney or Pitt with in terms of the pap attention they get. And his career will probably be more interesting and last longer as a result.
@Stellar I think all their careers will be about the same. They’re old white guys.
@Camille Yup. Usually I don’t mind bland, but I just think he’s kinda smug. I don’t know. With Damon I just always get annoyed. I personally think there’s a lot more to his image, he just hides his sh-t really well. But whatever, it’s all speculation on my part. I also have grown to really hate good will hunting.
Matt’s wife happily took on the traditional stay-at-home-wife role when she married him ten years ago, and I think that’s why he always talks about being “lucky.” She never had designs on a career in show biz, she’s never courted the paparazzi, she’s never shown any signs of wanting to be famous. She has always been quite content to stay home with the kids and keep the home fires burning (so to speak) so that Movie Star Matt has a happy place to come back to when the filming ends. So he gets to go off and do his thing without ever having to worry that his kids are being exposed to anything weird or his private life is being paraded for all to see. Matt knows how rare that kind of woman is in Hollywood, and I do believe he’s true to her because of it.
Yes I agree with you. She’s a good nurturer for his children, isn’t competing with him, keeps the family private and doesn’t work so can follow him around when he’s working away. The ability to have his wife spend continually spend time with him makes a huge difference. They only have to work around the kids schooling and she can always leave them for a couple of days if necessary.
I think it’s the working thousands of miles away for most of the year away from their spouse that kills most Hollywood marriages. If both are doing that, there’s no hope.
Matt finished filming ‘Great Wall’ a few weeks ago. He starts filming the next Bourne movie in a few weeks.
He does look really good these days, but never found him hot hot hot. I remember when Good Will Hunting made them household names and they’d go on Oprah et cetera and all the women would be wild over MD and never BA. The latter took it well. MD apparently dumped Minnie Driver by declaring he was single on TV (M Driver said that’s when she first found out he was single). And then he dated Winona Ryder for a while. MD is smooth and carries on the guy next door image very well, and he does seem to be a nice guy in real life now, but it’s all PR to some extent, isn’t it? Opposites attract in this friendship; they’ve been best friends for decades. I’m looking forward to the Martian. Aside, he does those creepy roles very well and I think even better than the good guy roles. He was extremely good and creepy in Ripley and *SPOILER* I found him creepy from the start in Interstellar, even though I knew nothing about his character.
He did not dump Minnie Driver on Oprah, they split three weeks beforehand, she later admitted that she only said that it was the first she heard of it when asked by a reporter because she was mad at him. But the lie kept being repeated because it’s an entertaining one.
I don’t know if he’s as nice as he appears, I doubt it because nobody’s that nice all the time but he’s always nice to service staff and the like, how people treat those on the bottom says a lot about someone’s character.
I love him as an actor, he’s ageing very well, he keeps getting hotter!!!!
It’s a given in Hollywood that while actors and actresses are filming on location, there’s likely an affair or two. Women and men accept it equally. They consider it meaningless in the overall scheme of things. Their lives are way too good by then to let a slip get in the way of what they’ve usually worked so hard to achieve. Really, affairs among actors and actresses are as expected as actresses getting breast implants. It’s the nature of the business. Turn your head and be grateful is the motto of many a celebrity spouse.
Matt’s comments on marriage being crazy don’t relate to Ben’s situation. From an interview in 2010:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/american-cinematheque-matt-damon-22015
THR: Has marriage changed you?
Damon: Yeah, I think so. Somebody said to me recently, “Wow, you really love marriage,” and I said, “No, I think marriage is ridiculous; I think it’s a totally ridiculous idea.” I love being married to my wife — she’s the best thing that ever happened to me, but if she ever left me, I wouldn’t do it again. Because it’s crazy — to spend your life with one person and not be totally driven crazy.
Strange interview. Like… “I love my wife, BUT I could be like Ben.”
Matt Damon is one of those celebs that I hope will never be involved in some huge scandal. He always sounds intelligent, logical, grounded and laid back. His wife is super pretty too and they seem to have a great vibe together. A lot of us have those friends that we love unconditionally but also say “😔 Whyyy? Alright, it is what it is, and I’m here for you no matter what.”. He handled the questions regarding BA/JG very well in my opinion.
Interesting that Matt and his wife went to Disneyland today and he was pictured on splash mountain smiling and all happy with this wife, obviously this was a planned trip with paparazzi ready to snap his picture and release it to the press. Compare that to Ben’s picture this weekend that went viral of him riding in Dumbo all pouty and sad on his birthday. I’m sure Matt’s a great guy but this feels like a dig at Ben, poking fun at Ben and his misery, granted Ben is the architect of his own sh!t, but boy what a way to rub it in his face how happy your life is compared to his pathetic existence right now.
The trip to Disneyland was for Matt’s daughter’s birthday, and they go every year on her birthday. It wasn’t a dig at Ben.