Hollywood romances come and go – but Matt Damon and Ben Affleck prove that their bromance lasts forever!
The dashing duo remained best friends through all the ups and downs. They went from chasing auditions and competing for roles to becoming two of the most successful actors of all time. Let’s take an in-depth look at the friendship of the century to learn how they’ve stayed friends over the years!
RELATED: Jennifer Garner shares loving Father’s Day tribute to Ben Affleck
A Lifelong Bromance
The aspiring actors were small-town boys from Boston with dreams of making it to the big screen. Matt explains why they became inseparable in an interview with Entertainment Tonight: “We grew up together. We were both in love with the same thing – acting and filmmaking. I think we fed on each other’s obsession during really formative, important years and that bonded us for life.”
How They Met
Ben was 8 and Matt was 10 when they first met. They got to know each other at a Little League baseball game and discovered their mutual love for the Red Sox. As they grew older, they inspired each other with their passion for film and joined forces to launch their careers together.
Ben revisits his childhood with Matt in an interview with Parade Magazine: “Before Matt, I was by myself. All of a sudden I had this friend, Matt, and he gets it and wants to do it and thinks it’s interesting and wants to talk about it. Soon both of us are doing it.”
Their Friendship
The rising stars slept on each other’s couches when they were scouting for roles and even pooled their money to help with expenses. Matt told CNN: “Ben Affleck and I actually had a joint bank account, and the bank account was money that we’d made doing local commercials and we could only use it on trips to New York to audition.”
Together On And Off-Screen
With the help of an agent, Ben got his acting career off the ground and had Matt do cameos and small roles in his movie gigs. Eventually, Matt told him he wanted to try it out too, so Ben linked him up with his manager and the rest is history!
They starred together in several films and worked on some of them behind the scenes. Their first movie together was a box office hit, winning them an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay back in 1997. When asked about how they collaborated on Good Will Hunting, Ben told Today: “We were unemployed and we weren’t writing the script on a deadline either. Nobody was expecting it, so we were just these two idiots in our basement writing this thing.”
Their Movies
- Field of Dreams (1989)
- School Ties (1992)
- Glory Daze (1996)
- Chasing Amy (1997)
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- Dogma (1999)
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (1999)
- The Third Wheel (2002)
- Jersey Girl (2004)
Memorable Moments
Since their first endearing Oscars speech in ‘97, they’ve received lots of awards and appeared on tons of red carpet events side by side. They were the ‘Guys of the Decade’ in 2016 and presented at the Oscars for the second time in 2017.
- The Oscars (1997)
- The Golden Globes (1998)
- Guys Choice Awards (2016)
- Jimmy Kimmel Live (2016)
- The Oscars (2017)
They’ve blessed award shows with their comedic banter and were also guests on Oprah! But one of our favourite moments is when Ben smuggles Matt into Jimmy Kimmel’s show despite their ongoing ‘feud’.
What Are They Up To Now?
Even with their own families, Matt still has Ben’s back no matter what! The Daily Mail spotted him leaving Affleck’s Los Angeles home with a script in hand. He shared how much Ben meant to him in an interview with The Off Camera Show, saying: “I certainly wouldn’t be here were it not for him.”
Still Friends
In 2018, Ben Affleck’s tattoo went viral and got ridiculed by fans and tabloids alike. Matt was quick to defend his pal in Time Magazine, saying: “It’s not one man’s job to tell another man what he can do to his back. I support him in all of his ‘artistic expression’.”
Are They Related?
Here’s a fun fact! Just when you thought they couldn’t get any closer, US Magazine revealed that they’re actually distant cousins! In an Instagram post, Ben shared a collage of photos with Matt with a sweet caption that says: “This Guy. #NationalBestFriendsDay”.
Are Matt And Ben Gay?
They’ve dismissed gay rumours surrounding their relationship, Matt responded to Playboy. “I never denied those rumours because I was offended and didn’t want to offend my friends who were gay – as if being gay were some kind of f***ing disease. It put me in a weird position in that sense. The whole thing was just gross.”
Their New Movie
After 15 long years, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are finally doing a new movie together! Deadline reports that the twosome will co-star in Scott Ridley’s film adaptation of The Last Duel by Eric Jager.
Friends Til The End
While both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are well-respected actors in their own right, we can’t deny that they’re better together! From childhood buddies to famous friends, they continue to inspire us with their talent, humour, and loyalty to one another. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing what Matt and Ben have in store for us in the years to come!
RELATED: Jennifer Garner is dating after Ben Affleck divorce
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
