Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have one in every of Hollywood’s best bromances.
After assembly as youngsters in Boston, the 2 took on Hollywood side-by-side, making their massive break in 1997 by co-writing — and starring — within the Oscar-winning movie, Good Will Looking. Within the years since, the chums have teamed up on varied initiatives. Whereas most of their initiatives are dramatic, they’ve additionally confirmed they do not at all times take themselves so critically and stepped into the personas of DunKings for a hilarious Tremendous Bowl advert earlier this yr.
As Damon turns 54 on Oct. 8, 2024, look again at his friendship with Ben Affleck over time.
Too Cool for Faculty
Damon and Affleck met as younger boys rising up in Boston. They graduated from the identical highschool — Affleck in 1994 and Damon in 1992. Damon’s brother, Kyle, informed PEOPLE that the pair “weren’t thought of cool youngsters.” In truth, “They have been drama geeks.”
The pair began auditioning collectively and ultimately appeared of their first movie, Faculty Ties, in 1992. Can you notice them on this picture?
Quick Associates
Affleck mentioned of their prompt bond, “Matt gave performing a framework, an integration into the social hierarchy at college. Earlier than Matt, I used to be on my own. Appearing was a solo exercise the place I’d simply go off and do one thing, act in just a little TV present or one thing, and nobody understood it. Not one of the different youngsters knew what it was I did, the way it labored, or something.”
Affleck mentioned, “Hastily, I had this good friend, Matt, and he will get it and desires to do it and thinks it is fascinating and desires to speak about it. Quickly each of us are doing it.”
Large Break
In 1996, the pair wrote the their breakout hit Good Will Looking collectively, and naturally performed greatest mates within the movie.
Golden Guys
The pair dominated the awards circuit in 1998, successful the Golden Globe for his or her authentic screenplay.
And the Academy Award Goes to…
They turned Oscar winners, too, after they received Greatest Unique Screenplay in 1998.
Their lovely joint speech began with Affleck saying, “Ha! I simply mentioned to Matt that shedding would suck and successful could be actually scary, and it is actually, actually scary,” and included the pair reminding one another who to thank and shouting them out.
Sharing the Display (Once more)
The next yr, the pair appeared alongside one another within the 1999 comedy Dogma.
Crimson Carpet Prepared
Title a extra iconic purple carpet friendship, we’ll wait.
Give Them the Greenlight
Venture Greenlight, that’s. The pair teamed up once more, this time to provide the HBO documentary sequence Venture Greenlight, which targeted on first-time filmmakers. The docuseries ran from 2001 to 2005, after which once more in 2015.
Know When to Maintain ‘Em
Generally you simply want your good luck allure — like, oh, Matt Damon — when you’re betting massive at a charity poker event, as Affleck did right here in 2012.
Hollywood’s Best Bromance
In 2010, Damon obtained the twenty fourth American Cinematheque Award, and Affleck and his then-wife Jennifer Garner have been there to assist him, with Garner calling them “the precise prototype for the good Hollywood bromance.”
Bonded For Life
Damon informed Leisure Tonight of their friendship, “I’ve identified him for 35 years, and we grew up collectively. We have been each in love with the identical factor — performing and filmmaking. I feel we ate up one another’s obsession throughout actually formative, necessary years and that bonded us for all times.”
Producing Companions
Collectively, the pair began their very own manufacturing firm, Pearl Road productions, and proceed to provide movies collectively.
Guys of the Decade
In 2016, they have been awarded the Guys of the Decade award by Spike TV’s Man’s Alternative Awards. An honor that’s clearly nicely deserved.
Again The place It All Started
The duo introduced the award for Greatest Tailored Screenplay collectively on the 2017 Oscars.
Boston Buds
And naturally, there’s little extra necessary to the pair than their love of the Boston Crimson Sox.
What’s Subsequent?
On the 2019 Toronto Worldwide Movie Pageant, Damon informed Further that the pair are linking up once more for The Final Duel.
Damon informed the outlet, “We wrote for the primary time in 25 years with Nicole Holofcener, who’s a hero of ours — superb author, she’s nice. The three of us wrote this factor, so hopefully we are going to shoot it subsequent yr.”
All Love
With a friendship as longstanding as theirs, its no shock that their households have meshed as nicely. When it was time to attend the premiere of The Final Duel in New York Metropolis, Affleck, Damon and his spouse Luciana had amusing on the purple carpet.
Reunited and It Feels So Good
In 2023, the 2 teamed up as soon as once more for the movie Air which premiered on the SXSW pageant. Affleck directed and starred within the movie as Phil Knight alongside Damon as Sonny Vaccaro.
Dapper Dudes
Affleck and Damon have been dressed to the nines as they introduced collectively on the 2024 Golden Globes.
Suited Up
In an ode to their Boston roots, Affleck and Damon joined Patriots legend Tom Brady to create a trio of DunKings for an epic Tremendous Bowl business in 2024.