If you think of one, you are reminded of the other. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are one of Hollywood’s most beloved bromances and, when they work together, magic is made. It’s been that way ever since they wrote their breakout film Good Will Hunting and most recently, Air. Though we can’t forget about that hilarious, ad-libbed Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad, in which the Jason Bourne star adorably admitted to the Argo helmer being his best friend. But even the best of buddies have disagreements sometimes.
Matt Damon has been busy teaming up with the Affleck brothers for two new exciting projects. The Saving Private Ryan actor and Casey Affleck appear, amid the 2024 movie schedule, in the new action packed film The Instigators, which is reminiscent of their Ocean’s Eleven days. And we will get to see Damon and Ben back together again for Joe Carnahan’s new crime thriller, RIP. In a recent interview with People, the Talented Mr. Ripley actor talked about why he continues to work with the brothers after all these years:
They're consistently great. They're consistently incredible partners to work with. And no, there aren't really, usually, any surprises.
The Instigators had the boys returning to their roots in Boston, both in the movie and on set. The brothers and Matt Damon were roommates there way back when they started their careers but have also been good friends since they were kids. But much like their living habits, their creative process isn’t always smooth sailing. The Oppenheimer actor admitted to sometimes getting into creative arguments with his bestie collaborators once in a while but shared a positive take on them:
Those are healthy, and we know each other well enough that our feelings don't really get involved and our egos don't get involved. So it's a pretty healthy working relationship with both of them.
And thank goodness for that, because I don’t want to live in a world where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon aren’t attached at the hip. And, if I don’t have a lifelong friendship like theirs, I don’t want it.
According to the Will Hunting actor himself, the Justice League alum has helped him navigate fame over their decades-long friendship, even when they were off developing their individual careers. But, recently, they’ve given their personal and working relationships new life, ever since Matt Damon’s dad died, with The Martian actor saying he and Affleck have become extremely close. He reached out to the Gone Girl lead after not working together for years, and the two came together for Air, with Affleck even directing his childhood friend for the first time.
I would even guess it's those creative arguments that generate their best ideas. If you agree on everything, you are never challenging each other, which is how you grow as a creator. That being said, I would love to be a fly on the wall for those conversations. I wonder if the Massachusetts natives ever slip back into their Boston accents. In fact, I bet they’re real-life arguments are very similar to the banter of the characters in The Instigators, which is available will be streamable for anyone with an Apple TV+ subscription on August 9.
