Elysium is coming out this Friday, so we can prepare for a few more days of Matt Damon interviews. We won’t necessarily cover them all, since Matt is universally liked and people aren’t motivated to comment on him too much. He’s still one of our favorites and I would cover him every day if you guys would care. (Programming note on the Cumberbatch coverage, I agree with Kaiser. Look at how many comments his posts get! If you don’t want to hear about him, don’t comment and we’ll assume you’re not interested.)
Did you know that Matt Damon and his family own a mansion in LA right down the street from the Garner-Afflecks? They bought it last summer, and Ben has joked that when Matt is there he’s over their house so much that he bugs Matt’s wife. Only Matt, his wife and four daughters have been living in New York for quite some time. New York has been their home base, but that changed recently. Matt told the press that his family is moving back to LA and that they want to make it permanent.
“Our oldest one is excited,” he told Us. “The younger ones, I think it’s kind of hard for them to grasp it.” That said, they’re looking forward to a change of scenery. “They’ll have a yard, and they’re really excited about that,” he shared. “That’s not something you get [in New York City].”
(During his TODAY show appearance earlier on Tuesday, the star explained his family’s reasons for moving, saying: “Basically all of our friends with little kids are out there [in L.A.]. We’re a little conflicted. We love it here, we’re really happy here and New York will always be here. It might just turn out to be a little jaunt out there and then a return…It’s hard to leave here.”)
“[Ben and I are on] the same street,” he said. “I tried to get him to come back East for years and finally I just gave up and I was like, ‘All right.’”
Damon also spoke to reporters at the Elysium screening about getting in shape for his role in the upcoming sci-fi action film. “It was really hard because I love to eat and I love to drink,” he confessed. “I’m at the point in my life where somebody was silly enough to marry me and won’t leave me if I put on a few pounds. It’s very hard to motivate me to get in shape.”
Damon joked that he preferred his body in The Informant, for which he put on 40 pounds. “I was like, ‘You like this guy too, don’t you?'” he said of Luciana. “I’m trying to talk her into that guy. That’s the guy I’m most comfortable being.”
[From US Weekly and Access Hollywood]
Here’s what I wonder. Now that Matt and his wife and kids have moved back to LA, will they get papped like the Garner-Afflecks do? If they’re on the same street, and if we assume the paparazzi park there and wait for Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck to leave with their kids, will they do the same to Matt and Lucy? You see the occasional paparazzi photo of Matt out with his family but they’re very rare. Matt has thrown shade on the fact that Jennifer and Ben get followed by the paparazzi all the time. Last year, after he bought the house in their neighborhood, he told Playboy that he never got followed by photographers. He said “We lived in the same neighborhood this summer [2012] and had no problems at all. Granted, we didn’t look for attention by parading our kids down the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, but scandal and sex are what move most of those publications anyway. That’s not us. Ben and Jen are both famous, and people are interested in her and how she parents, which makes them a target. If we had gotten it like that, I wouldn’t have gone to Los Angeles. It’s just not worth it.”
So if they get hounded by photographers, does that mean they’re going to leave again? It sounds like the Damons are moving back to LA for their daughters, but I doubt Lucy is going to arrange many playdates with Jennifer. They’re also moving at a time when it’s convenient for their girls to get into school in LA. Their youngest, Stella, turns three in a couple of months so she’s probably ready to start preschool now.
Photos of Damon alone are from 8-2 and 7-31. Photos of Matt at the airport with his family are from 8-16-12. Credit: WENN.com and FameFlynet
Love Matty D. Will always be Jason Bourne in my eyes. Sigh.
I love the Bourne movies! 😉 And of course Matt Damon!
Probably not as much. Matt was right – no one usually cares about a family that includes a non-celebrity partner as much as they care about a family withe two celebrities.
Couple that with the fact that Ben’s private life used to be incredibly interesting, and he actually invited the public into it with that ridiculous J-Lo video, plus the fact that her reputation includes the idea of being a super mom – the interest in Matt’s family will never be as great.
The Garner Afflecks are the perfect storm for celeb gossip. Bens life was all over the tabloids for a decade and Jen is independently successful, beautiful and relatable. People are invested. Matts an ok guy, his wife is an ok gal but thats about it. Few people care, few photographs will be taken.
While i agree, Jennifer Garner is not that famous anymore. I think Matt made a choice to have a low key lifestyle and its served him well. Ben always liked the media attention more, that has been his downfall in the past.
Pretty sure Jen Garner courts the paps. She uses them to push her “perfect family” image.
If Ben wanted cheap media attention he would have married Lopez. In his world, Garner is low key.
I have always felt the JG plays up the doting mother role for the paps (not saying she isn’t a doting mother, she probably is). I always feel that even though she comes across as the sweet girl next door, she is very media savvy and knows how to be seen as the faithful and wonderful wife and caring and nurturing mother.
I like when he said that they (the kids) will have a yard.. because it seems that the Afflecks don’t seem to use theirs that much. I mean they are photographed every single day it seems.
Matt and Ben have a Production company. Matt said that this is the main reason for the move. They want to get serious about the company. Buying books and writing more together. And if you goggle you will see that Matt and his family have been photographed a lot. I think it is all about what sells. Matt and his family right now don’t sale. But if he is living that close to Ben/Jen. It will be interesting to see if they are photographed all over LA like the Afflecks are.
ITA there are tons of pics of Matt’s kids in NYC I see them on baby blogs It’s that there is little interest in their kids.I pointed out weeks ago there are more pics of Matt’s daughter Stella than Vivienne Jolie Pitt @JJ over the last nine months.Now the # of pics are about even.As for Garner most of the paparazzi pics are shopping or school related.Paparazzi in LA DK Matt’s wife or kids so I dont expect alot of interest in them.
Of course Matt will be papped but not as much as Jennifer. There’s very low interest in him. I don’t know why Jennifer never gets called out on all of the pap shots. She takes her kids on the most random errands and does it everyday.
I think the Afflecks get indeed caught by paps from time to time, but everyone knows that both used their family to push Ben’s Oscar ambitions. To each their own, I just hate it when these people complain then about paps. You play the game or you try to stay out of it.
The Afflecks take their kids to “paparazzi park,” and a few other always staffed pap areas. If people don’t think they could go to other areas or avoid the cameras at least 80% of the time, they don’t understand how Hollywood works. Same with Allison Hannigan, the Stefani-Rossdales, Brooke Burns, Nicole Ritchie, etc. They do this ON PURPOSE. Which is their choice and their right. Just don’t be fooled.
Garner calls the paps for sure or someone in her camp tips them off.
The paps are EVERYWHERE they go. Always there before them, always at the most random places. Their kids are the most photographed kids and are overexposed.
The Jolie-Pitts have been in LA all year and are never seen!!!! They go out in LA and want to avoid the paps, and make an effort to protect their kids.
This exactly. There were photos of them at the Natural History Museum- not exactly a papp spot. They knew they were going to be there.
The pap cars are outside the Garner-Affleck home waiting for them to leave. Garner said there were seven one day. She doesn’t call them. They don’t need to call them, no point. They’re both very successful and don’t need any more publicity than they already have.
Garner wants her kids to live a more normal life on a regular basis. She takes them to museums, the Farmers’ Market, libraries, etc. The paps know where she’s going since they’ve followed her since she left her house.
Bingo. These aren’t D-listers. They are a hugely famous couple. She has no need or want to call paps for her everyday jaunts to have cameras in her childrens’ faces like a LeAnn Rimes fame-ho. Give me a break.
I don’t think she calls them either. For some reason pics of their kids sell, and the paparazzi stalk them.
I dont agree Jayna. Garner is not that famous, nobody would be interested in her if she wasnt married to Ben. Matt has been a successful movie star for more than a decade. His career is arguably more consistent and successful than bens. Ben fell of the map after the J-Lo thing and no one wanted to see his movies. I get the impression that Matt geuninly isnt interested in being a celebrity whereas Ben likes it and is not above using it for career benefits.
The paps also know exactly where B& A live and yet they manage to leave their house and live normal lives away from the paps! They go months without being seen. That is a normal life.
There is nothing normal about being photographed every day of your life. She makes zero effort to avoid the paps. Her kids would not be photographed if she did not want them to be.
The very fact that B& A have been in LA all year proves that you can live in LA and avoid the paps.
Just the other day there was a twitter pic of Brad and Shiloh in LA with no paps around. It can be done.
I agree, since Jen has not been active professionally, it is one way she can be seen and not forgotten, and oddly enough, we like to see their pics, right?
He seems like such a stand up guy. I would be so disappointed if I ever found out he’s a douche. Doesn’t hurt that he’s such a tasty dish, either, non?
The Guardian newspaper in the UK had an interview with Matt Damon at the weekend where he explained why Jennifer Garner gets papped so much. Apparently, she is absolutely loved by women in the mid-West, especially for being a mum. He goes on to say that there is big demand for pics of her in mags most of us have never heard of, but sell in the mid-West.
I love this interview especially the part about how his wife won’t leave him if he gains a few pounds. He seems like a nice guy so I hope they are happy in LA. It seems like such a superficial place devoid of any culture not sure why anyone would want to live there.
Hey! As an Angeleno I ALWAYS HATE that people equate LA with Hollywood. It’s just not true. LA was around way before Hollywood ever came around. LA has so many great museums like the Getty, the Natural History Museum, the CA Science Center, the Historic Core where the Bradbury Building is located. And LA county has some of the bests schools in the world, including UCLA, Caltech, and USC. People need to think before they just assume LA has no culture. LA is also one of the most ethnically diverse in the country, even more than NY. NY and other cities need to think about their egos.
didn’t we already have this discussion? I think they know if they go out with Jen then they will get photographed.
Commenting just to show interest. I heart Matt Damon.
I’ll second that. I’d rather read about Matt all day long than see another post about Cumberbatch fan-girling someone new.
Me too. Don’t even open a Cumberbatch post.
It doesn’t seem like the Afflecks get photographed at their house. It’s at the drop-offs for school, lessons , etc. I wanted to mention that Sandra Bullock gets photographed often dropping Louis off at school. Is she calling the paps? think the photographers start to learn the schedules and wait for the shots.
You are right I see pics of Sandra and Louis at least three times a week.Yet she is never accused of calling paparazzi.I just saw a pic of Louis on bossip where people are upset because he has a doll dressed in pink.Homophobes are upset.
Most of the paps are of Jennfer with the here and there photos of Jen and Ben when he’s home from a project. No pap cares about Luciana. So the photos will be far less. You will see more photos of Matt and family, though, than in NY, but I doubt as many as Ben and Jen as Matt seems not to be as interesting to paps since he’s not part of a famous couple. They take the photos of them in NY. The photos just don’t make their way around to all the sites past a couple.
I think it’s so cute he wants the girls to grow up playing together. You don’t see these kinds of friendships lasting these days when you become that famous. Love Matt and he looks hot in that photo.
It would be nice to think that Ben & Matt’s girls could develop the same kind of friendship that their fathers have, but if it’s true that the wives don’t get along, I don’t see it happening. It’s really hard to sustain/expand (to include the children) a friendship when your partners don’t want to spend time together. Unless we start seeing pics of Matt & Ben out on play dates with the kids (sans wives). That would be refreshing, actually. Why should mothers shoulder all the responsibility of organizing their kids’ social schedules?
I’m so jealous – such a cute family.
I like Matt more than Ben and I like Jennifer more than Lucy. So if they were to switch partners Matt and Jennifer would be my perfect celebrity couple!
At least that pairing would explain Samuel’s looks. Ha.
Jennifer Garner obviously gains quite something through the daily pap marathon with the kids its not like she is Meryl Streep. that doesnt mean she calls them though. they know where they live and where they like to go.
a paparazzi wants to make money with the pictures and those are safe bets. the guy that busted Kristen Stewart surely got more but getting pictures like that basically never happens. so its like a base income for them. nothing too fancy but steady and easy.
See, this is something I don’t get. The mechanics and dynamics of papping. Jennifer Garner is hella boring, so is her husband (who always looks angry to me). HOW do the paps make bank over photos of her?? Who is looking at these photos?? And why do the people looking at these photos even care?? In other words, what the hell is the draw?
Please, everyone knows the Affleck family calls the paps and uses them for their advantage. Maybe not all the time, but definitely often. Matt could do the same if he wanted, but he doesn’t.
It will be funny when the Afflecks are papped and the Damons aren’t. (cough speeddial cough) Matt Damon has to be just about the sexiest guy EVER.
I love Matt, he seems like such a great guy, and I like how low key he has managed to remain.
I really like Matty D. Although I don’t always agree with him, I like that he speaks his mind without being overbearing. I like his humor and he his hotter than hell.
I am completely breaking character here but my husband and I do not have one of those lists. I do have a “Birthday Invitation list”, though. This is a list of people I find so interesting, and think would be found universally interesting that, were I to have a huge birthday party for myself, this would be my ideal guest list. So far only Matty D and Doris Kearns Goodwin are the only two on the list so far.
But I do like when people see the List over my desk and think it’s that list – the looks I get.
I almost forgot – Neil DeGrasse Tyson is on the b-day list too.
Currently being considered – Elizabeth Warren, Fannie Flagg and Stephen King.
Tried to post this in links, but it wasn’t working…Here’s the new Chris interview from Esquire. The article is alright. The best part though? Remora giving the interviewer a signed copy of her Women’s Health cover, unprompted! Tacky Pataky at it again, haha!
http://www.chris-hemsworth.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=682
@Marty: thanks for showing us the road that leads to our CHemboy! He is H.O.T!
Mr. Fanty and I were just talking about the overall hotness of Matty D recently. He’s on every list I have, pervy and intellectual and I think he might be on Mr. Fanty’s special list, too. Charm, intellect, talent, humor, and those lovely eyes go a long way.
I am still on Mr. Fanty’s special list, yes? He’s not still upset about the tong thing, is he?
Matty D. is awesome!!!
I read another interview where matt did say they will leave la if they are hassled too much. They did spend last summer in la and they were papped a few times (once with the kids). It still wasn’t as bad as Ben & Jen & family. Hopefully it won’t be bad for them.
It seemed to me that every time Matt was papped last summer, he was with Ben. I recall one picture of them leaving a restaurant and there is Ben talking to the Paps and right behind him you can see Matt trying to get into the car door to escape. 🙂
From the interview, it sounds like Matt and Luci kept their New York home just in case.
Lucy is one lucky bitch.
You can say that again.
Lucy is one lucky bitch.
(oh and Miss Jane, I left a note for you on the Selena Gomez post…if you happen to come back around here to look at some Damon pics. we’ll have lots to discuss)
I’m surprised that people don’t believe that the Affleck’s call the paps. it’s obvious they use them to play up the family image when he has a movie to promote. Watch and see how many pap pics of Ben and Jen come out when he promotes Runner Runner with JT. I’m sure Jessica Biel will be calling them too
How many times to I need to comment in this post to keep the Matt Damon coverage coming?!?!
I am not sure but I will second you each time to assist in the endeavor.
Do you like apples? How do you like those apples?
They probably won’t be followed as much, unless they’re with Garner or Affleck.
Two famous people get more attention than one, and the Affleck-Garner relationship came on the heels of Bennifer and Garner’s relationship with another actor, so the press and public were already watching.
I don’t think Garner-Affleck court pap attention – the interest is already there. They try to manage it the best they can to their favour, but that’s not the same as people the public would have no interest in if they didn’t call the paps (like all those reality show people.)
They court the paps for sure.
There are tons of more famous celebs/families the paps would love to photograph everyday in LA, but those celebs like to protect their kids and make an effort to avoid the paps.
Why can’t people understand that Jen could very, very easily avoid the paps if she choose to.
To be fair,(up-thread)..isn’t this the reason why Brad Pitt has attempted to buy up the properties on his block over the years? To keep the paps out and to make leaving the neighborhood easier?
Love Matt Damon!
Does not matter. The paps can still hang out on the street that comes from their driveway and are able to see cars coming/going!
If the Jolie-Pitts can live for MONTHS in LA and hardly ever be papped, then so can Jen.
There are tweets of sightings at grocery stores, at toy stores, at restaurants in the past. So it is very possible to be in LA and not be photographed.
I thought the JP’s lived in a gated area? I remember reading something from this site that was from 2006ish, that either Brad already had a house, or bought a house in a gated community that the paps couldn’t get to. Wasn’t it right after he and Angelina got together, he started construction on the house? Then he also bought the house next door-I remember that because someone was saying that it was going to be the house that he brought his side pieces, except for the fact that it was right next door.
It is a gated street but the paps can easily park on the road where they leave and could follow them. There have been photographs of BP leaving on his motorcycle etc.
Point is they have found ways to avoid paps in LA and Jen could as well.
No, that’s Garner’s obsession. Tons of celebrities stay totally private in that same industry. But Jennifer is grade A famewh0re.
Why can’t people understand that Jen could avoid the paps and not have her kids photographed every day if she wanted to?
There are so many famous celeb kids that go months living in LA and we never see.
She makes the paps jobs easy because she makes no effort to protect her kids.
But what if it meant compromising their lifestyle in a way where they couldn’t go to the market together or walk kids home from school, or do other normal, everyday things with them?
I think the interest and market for their pics has always been there. It’s not something they’ve manufactured just to get more attention. Do they try to control it as much as they can? Sure. Do they compromise their lifestyle to avoid it? Doesn’t look like it.
They could move out of Brentwood, or to a gated community, and have nannies and assistants take care of everything if they wanted to avoid it altogether.
They don’t have a home in NY (Matt explained in the recent Esquire interview they were always outbid).