Jump To Matt Damon's Stats
Three times Matt Damon appeared as the amnesic assassin during the Bourne trilogy. Three times Damon also appeared as the goofy larcenist during the recent Ocean's trilogy. But, Damon contends that his most prized role was in the film that he and his best friend Ben Affleck co-wrote together – Good Will Hunting. That foray into the Hollywood life earned the pair an Oscar for The Best Original Screenplay from the Academy and another statute from the folks at the Golden Globes. The film itself garnered nine nominations for Oscars.
Damon and Affleck continue their close relationship despite going in different ways. Both still claim strong allegiance to the Boston Red Sox baseball team because both grew up in the Cambridge area. Although they didn't know each other growing up, they only lived two blocks apart. Damon's proximity to Cambridge continued through his college days. The Harvard University student spent three and a half years studying under those Ivy columns before fleeing the scene 12 credit hours short of his degree.
Hollywood proved to be his institution of higher learning and grand earning. Beside the commercial success of the Bourne series and the Oceans series, Damon caught the attention of large production houses, respected directors and insistent producers shortly after his arrival. He has starred in some great movies, including Saving Private Ryan with Tom Hanks. The Departed with Jack Nicholson and Leo DiCaprio also gained box office bonanza receipts. The Talented Mr. Ripley was a great launchpad that got him noticed for his action skills along with his portrayal in Good Will Hunting.
Unlike movie stars of today, Damon avoids the public scrutiny of the paparazzi. It's not that he shrouds himself or his family from photos, but he believes that he would make for the worst possible photo subject to sell. He walks down the block to buy something and then walks back home. He will spend hours studying or researching for his next movie role instead of tripping the light fantastic around town.
Damon does have a strong reputation as an active humanitarian. He founded an organization called H20 Africa. He has dedicated huge blocks of time to fight for AIDS causes and poverty relief in Africa.
