How Beatles’ Split Affected Matt Damon & Ben Affleck’s Relationship

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When it comes to making movies together, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck will continue to let it be.

The actor known for his role in “The Bourne Identity” was motivated to keep working with his long-term collaborator, following their viewing of the closing moments of Peter Jackson’s documentary, “Get Back,” about The Beatles. This film includes footage from the band’s last public performance in 1969 and a message indicating that such an event would never take place again.

The setting moved Damon to shed tears, prompting him to express during an interview with GQ on September 9th that he told Affleck, “Let’s disregard flooding the market with films we star in together. It’s insane not to seize the opportunity that we’re still around and capable of making them.

For the first time in a while, these two have shared roles on-screen in the recently released action thriller The Rip. Prior collaborations took place behind the scenes as producers and writers, but their last joint on-screen appearance was in the 2021 film The Last Duel.

Instead, it should be noted that the pair, who received an Oscar in 1997 for their original screenplay for “Good Will Hunting,” will not find themselves in competition over which actor is more commercially viable. Affleck acknowledged that Damon has long been perceived as a more dependable or reliable leading man.

Every time I perform alongside Matt, I am consistently in awe because it reinforces just how exceptional an actor he is. He possesses a quiet yet genuine and sincere quality, which is quite the opposite of flashy acting. I believe his subtle approach to acting is actually more challenging. (The Accountant star shared this with GQ.)

Affleck, having grown up with Damon in Massachusetts, went on to say, “Over such a long friendship as ours, you tend to get a keen instinct for what’s genuine and what isn’t. Catching Matt acting falsely is almost unheard of because he’s incredibly skillful at realism. This talent for authenticity is something I hold in high regard about him, among his many impressive qualities.

According to Affleck himself, he believes that there’s an area in the acting world where he stands out as the best.

He mentioned that Matt may have excelled in various aspects during our careers. Nevertheless, he believes beyond any doubt that he is the undisputed champion when it comes to beards. In other words…

Look back at Affleck and Damon’s friendship…

According to Affleck, Matt might have outshone him in several aspects throughout their careers. Yet, when it comes to beards, he believes he clearly takes the lead, if we may say so.

Affleck, who shared his childhood with Damon in Massachusetts, remarked, “Over such a long period of time, I’ve come to understand and appreciate Matt’s authenticity exceptionally well. It’s rare to catch him acting out of character because he truly excels at portraying reality. His mastery of realism is something I genuinely respect about him, and it’s just one of his many remarkable qualities.

According to Affleck himself, there’s a specific area within the acting realm where he dominates, he claims.

Matt may have outperformed me in several aspects during our careers, but when it comes to beards, I believe I clearly take the crown,” he stated.

Read on to look back at Affleck and Damon’s friendship…

In the critically acclaimed film “Good Will Hunting“, Damon and Affleck portrayed characters Will, a troubled prodigy, and Chuckie, his loyal childhood friend. This movie was recognized with nine Oscar nominations, among them were Best Picture, Best Actor for Damon, Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams, and Best Original Screenplay.

1998 saw an intensification of awards buzz with Ben and Matt gracing the red carpet at the Golden Globes. Notably, their film “Good Will Hunting” was nominated for a total of four awards.

Affleck and Damon are pictured holding their initial Golden Globe awards, earned for the Best Screenplay of “Good Will Hunting” in 1997. Later, Affleck received another award in 2013 for his directing work on “Argo”. In 2016, Damon was honored with a Golden Globe for his outstanding acting performance in the film “The Martian” in the Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy category.

Affleck and Damon, the winners of Best Original Screenplay, always remember to acknowledge their childhood hometown, a place that played a significant role in inspiring their very first joint screenwriting project, titled “Good Will Hunting”.

Damon and Affleck relish their Oscar win in 1998.

In 1998, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon displayed their mothers, Chris Affleck and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, as their respective dates for the Oscar night.

Damon and Affleck teamed up as fallen angels Loki and Bartleby in Kevin Smith‘s 1999 comedy Dogma.

Matt and Ben dress down in Miami Beach in 2006.

In 2006, Damon showed his support for his friend during a screening of the movie “Hollywoodland”. This film featured Affleck as George Reeves, the troubled actor who portrayed Superman in the television series from the 1950s.

In 2005, both close friends tied the knot, and in 2008 they shared an enjoyable night out together in Miami Beach. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, who share three children, separated in 2015 before finalizing their divorce in 2018. Matt Damon and his wife Luciana will commemorate 15 years of marriage in December 2020.

Matt and Ben hang out, ’cause that’s what they do.

Of course, Affleck joined other celebrities in honoring (and jokingly criticizing) Damon when he presented him with the American Cinematheque Award back in 2010.

Ben jokingly added, “Since we both began around the same time, this evening holds a unique significance for me as well.

They always look ready for a marathon poker tournament.

As a lifestyle enthusiast and connoisseur of all things creative, I joyfully mark the grand comeback of my cherished companions who, after a decade-long hiatus, revived Project Greenlight – their celebrated HBO series dedicated to giving independent films the limelight in 2014.

At the 2014 premiere of “Manchester by the Sea,” Matt Damon’s longtime collaborator and Casey Affleck, his brother in spirit, were present. Both Casey and Damon had co-produced the film, with Casey later winning the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance. However, he infamously forgot to thank Ben (presumably referring to Matt Damon), which led to a humorous situation.

At the premiere of the fourth season winner of Project Greenlight, titled The Leisure Class, Affleck and Damon were present to offer their support in 2015.

In 2016, Affleck and Damon returned to their characters Chuckie and Will for a live stage reading of Good Will Hunting. They invited some renowned friends to participate, with John Krasinski serving as the narrator, Emily Blunt portraying Skylar, Keegan-Michael Key stepping into the role of Billy, and Margo Martindale taking on the significant part once played by the late Robin Williams as Dr. Maguire.

20 years after they both auditioned for the role of Robin in Tim Burton’s Batman films, but didn’t get it, Damon is thrilled that Affleck secured the Caped Crusader cowl in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and subsequent DC Universe movies. The character eventually appeared in Joel Schumacher’s Batman Forever.

As a devoted fan, I was honored to witness a memorable moment at the 2017 Oscars when Matt Damon and Ben Affleck graced the stage together once more – nineteen years after our beloved cinematic triumph.

Here, everyone was just as astonished as anyone else when it turned out that “Moonlight” had won Best Picture, rather than “La La Land.

Matt and Ben enjoy a night out with fellow Boston sports nut Bill Simmons.

The lifelong Red Sox fans got emotional celebrating their team’s 2018 World Series title.

As a lifestyle aficionado, I was thrilled to see myself stepping out with my longtime collaborator Matt Damon at the 2021 Venice Film Festival, where we showcased our latest joint project, “The Last Duel.” It’s been quite some time since our creative spirits merged on the script for the timeless classic, “Good Will Hunting,” and I must say, it feels like a homecoming to be back in this collaborative space.

The founders of Artists Equity rejoice as their new studio’s first film, titled “Air,” premieres in March 2023 at SXSW. This uplifting true story features Damon portraying Sonny Vaccaro, a forward-thinking Nike representative who secured a contract with just-drafted Michael Jordan (played by Davis) in 1984 by persuading his mother that Nike was the ideal choice for her son. Affleck takes on the role of Nike’s founder, Phil Knight.

A bazillion pairs of Air Jordans sold later…

 

Damon, in his role as both actor and producer, experiences a new collaboration with Affleck as director in the film “Air.

He’s an exceptionally talented director, everyone knows this,” Damon expressed to TopMob News during the film’s Los Angeles premiere. “It was a pleasure collaborating with him, and I can’t wait to work together again in the near future.

At the March 2025 SXSW, the star of Mars, who is also his producing partner’s collaborator, made an appearance at the premiere of his partner’s new film titled “The Accountant 2”. During this event, he unveiled a more extended version of his beard.

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2025-09-10 01:47