Matt Damon biography 2022

Actor Matt Damon

Matt Damon biography

He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on October 8, 1970.

The son of a realtor and an early-childhood education professor, Damon was involved in several theater productions while studying at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. His love of acting became apparent at an early age, and Damon and his childhood buddy Ben Affleck made their debuts as extras in films being shot locally.

With no more than credit in a commercial, as well as some experience in local plays and as a film extra, 16-year-old Damon was ready to head for New York City and try his hand at acting. His parents did not fund his trip, so he went with nothing more than a paycheck from a stint in a commercial. With the help of a casting agency, Damon made his feature film debut in Mystic Pizza, albeit in a one-line role.

Although Matt Damon had landed parts - he appeared in Rising Son and had a supporting role in the 1992 film School Ties - Matt Damon went on to further his education at Harvard University. His minor glimpse of an acting career became more inspirational than pursuing an English Literature degree, and Damon left Harvard to join the throng of aspiring actors in L.A.

As one of the acting hopefuls who did not have to wait too long for roles, Damon began his journey to stardom with a supporting role in Geronimo: An American Legend. Thanks to his work in the Western, Damon landed the lead in TNT's The Good Old Boys.

By the time he was cast in Courage Under Fire in 1996, starring Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan, Damon had already worked with Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, and Tommy Lee Jones.

Although Courage Under Fire showcased his undeniable acting skills, The Rainmaker can be considered the role that launched him into the Hollywood spotlight. The film industry was abuzz about this fresh face, cast by Francis Ford Coppola to star in the John Grisham film adaptation of the novel.

Damon and Affleck were doing the rounds of movie studios to pitch their script about a troubled genius. Studios were interested in the "little script that could," but we're not interested in the proviso of the writing: Damon and Affleck co-star as the lead roles.

After some script retooling, perseverance on the part of the childhood friends, and Damon's Rainmaker lead, Miramax bought the script. Good Will Hunting, the brainchild of Damon and Affleck, became the sleeper hit of 1997, with Oscar nominations in the way for Best Actor Matt Damon, Best Supporting Actor Robin Williams, and Best Original Screenplay. Williams took home the Oscar, as did the writing team and the shining duo of 1997, Damon and Affleck. Damon was nominated in the same categories at the Golden Globe Awards of that year.

In 1998, Damon appeared in Saving Private Ryan in the titular role of Private James Francis Ryan and co-starred with Edward Norton in Rounders. He followed up his role in the controversial Dogma with the title role in the drama The Talented Mr. Ripley, sharing the screen with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law.

Damon's romantic life seems to be as complete as his acting repertoire. He has been linked with model Kara Sands, his Rainmaker co-star, Claire Danes, and his Good Will Hunting co-star Minnie Driver. Damon also had a relationship with Winona Ryder and was cozy with his All The Pretty Horses co-star, Penelope Cruz.

After providing one of the lead voices in the 2000's animated feature Titan A.E., Damon portrayed a golfer in The Legend of Bagger Vance, which co-starred Will Smith and Charlize Theron.

In 2001, Matt Damon joined the cast of Ocean's Eleven, while his voice made a cameo in The Majestic. His voice was also the narrator of the 2002 animated feature Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.

In 2002 saw Damon in the highly-anticipated spy thriller, The Bourne Identity, in which he stars alongside Franka Potente. Damon stars as Jason Bourne, an assassin unaware of his identity. Suffering from amnesia, he must run from the dangers of his past while trying to piece together why he's in trouble.

Damon was also cast as a game show contestant in George Clooney's directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, released in 2002.

In 2003, Damon joined Greg Kinnear for the comedy Stuck On You. He had bit parts in Eurotrip and Jersey Girl before reprising his role as Jason Bourne for The Bourne Supremacy.

In December 2004, Damon starred in Ocean's Twelve.

In 2005, he can add The Brothers Grimm and Syriana to his resume.



last updated October 2022

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