Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are American actors, screenwriters, and producers from Cambridge, Massachusetts who have frequently collaborated throughout their careers. The duo first gained recognition in 1997 after they won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting , which they wrote and starred in together. Since then, they have kept a close public relationship, often working on projects and establishing businesses with one another. [1]
I was 8, he was 10, he was a big kid, he played baseball, he was really cool, he had a bowl cut—those little feathered ones that we all wanted, of course—and he— And he was, you know, nice to me. And we were both interested in the same things. Just kids who grew up two blocks apart and both wanted to be actors.
Damon's mother, Lesley University professor Nancy Carlsson Paige, [2] and Affleck's mother, schoolteacher Chris Affleck-Boldt, [3] had known each other professionally for some time when, in 1980, they introduced their sons to one another during a playdate at Affleck's home. [4] At the time, Damon was 10 years old, and Affleck was 8. [5] Their homes were two blocks from each other in the same Cambridge neighborhood; the two later named their production company, Pearl Street Films, after the Cambridge street they walked on to visit one another. [6]
The two became close during their high school years at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, a public high school with a prominent drama department. [7] Damon says that their friendship solidified during a pick-up football game in 1986, when Affleck, "at the risk of his own life", intervened in a fight between Damon and a much larger and older student. [8] That same year, in a school production of The Visit , [9] Damon, then a junior, played freshman Affleck's father. [10] In 1987, Damon starred in a school production of Pippin , [9] while Affleck, who could not sing, worked in the crew. [11]
The two aspired to become professional actors, holding "business lunches" in their school's cafeteria [12] and opening a joint checking account to fund the cost of traveling from Boston to New York City for auditions. [13] The password for this account was RiverP, an homage to actor River Phoenix, whom Damon and Affleck both admired. [14] Among the films for which they unsuccessfully auditioned was Dead Poets Society ; in 1990, they worked together at Cambridge's now-closed Janus Theater, which screened the film exclusively all summer. [15] In 1989, the duo played extras in Field of Dreams. Recalls actor Kevin Costner, "[Damon and Affleck] would both lean in at the same time, lean back at the same time, look at each other at the same time. We talked, and they had this big enthusiasm. They were on fire." [16]
In a 2007 episode of Inside the Actors Studio , Damon revealed that he'd been accepted to Columbia University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Harvard University, ultimately choosing Harvard. He enrolled in 1988 and studied English. [17] During a course in which he was tasked with writing a one-act play, he wrote the beginnings of what would become Good Will Hunting . [18]
Affleck enrolled at the University of Vermont in 1990, owing to what he describes as "unrequited love for a high school girlfriend." Soon after classes begun, he fractured his hip during a game of intramural basketball, an injury which required him to move about on crutches. Describing the period as "the worst two and a half months of [his] life," Affleck eventually called Damon at Thanksgiving, saying, "'You’ve got to pick me up! I can’t walk that well. Come and get me now!'" Damon drove to Vermont later that day, retrieving Affleck and bringing him back to Boston. [19] Affleck did not re-enroll, instead beginning a period of Middle Eastern Studies at Occidental College. [20]
While studying at Harvard University, Damon was tasked with writing a script, in which he asked Affleck to assist in presenting to his class. After dropping out, Damon moved into Affleck's apartment in Los Angeles and the two expanded on the assignment, writing what would become Good Will Hunting. [21] The film was met with widespread critical acclaim, with critics praising both Affleck and Damon's performances and writing. It went on to win the pair their first Oscars, for Best Original Screenplay and, in 2014, was featured on The Hollywood Reporter 's "100 Favorite Films" list. [22]
As of 2023, the pair has collaborated on a total of 9 films, many of which received overwhelmingly positive reviews. In alignment with their work with Miramax and Kevin Smith, they have occasionally parodied their past roles.
| Title | Release Date | Production Studio(s) | Rotten Tomatoes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field of Dreams | May 5, 1989 | Gordon Company | 88% | First professional collaboration, both uncredited |
| School Ties | September 18, 1992 | Jaffe/Lansing Production | 60% | |
| Good Will Hunting | December 5, 1997 | Be Gentleman | 97% | Written by Affleck and Damon |
| Chasing Amy | April 4, 1997 | View Askew Productions | 87% | |
| Dogma | November 12, 1999 | View Askew Productions and STKstudio | 67% | |
| Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | August 24, 2001 | Dimension Films, Miramax, and View Askew Productions | 52% | Both play a satirical version of themselves, parodying a scene from Good Will Hunting. |
| Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | October 15, 2019 | View Askew Productions, Miramax, Destro Films, Mewesings, SMODCO, Hideout Pictures, Intercut Capital, and Skit Bags Entertainment | 64% | Affleck satirically reprises his role as Holden McNeil, while Damon makes references to his role as Jason Bourne |
| The Last Duel | October 15, 2021 | 20th Century Studios, Scott Free Productions, Pearl Street Films, and TSG Entertainment | 85% | Screenplay by Affleck, Damon, and Nicole Holofcener. Only Pearl Street Films production featuring both company founders. |
| Air | April 5, 2023 | Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Artists Equity, and Mandalay Pictures | 93% | Directed by Affleck. Co-produced by the duo's new independent venture Artists Equity |
In 2012, Affleck and Damon established Pearl Street Films, a film and production company based at Warner Bros. Studios. [23] After 10 years, the company was dissolved in 2022 with the final production being The Last Duel , a film starring the two founders. The duo instead shifted their focus onto their own independent film company, Artists Equity, which was founded in 2022. In 2023, the new studio released its first film, Air , which was directed by Affleck and starring them both, with Damon playing the lead role.
As a result of their shared upbringing and frequent collaboration, Affleck and Damon's friendship has garnered a lot of public attention, with Us Weekly dubbing it "a bromance worth celebrating." [24] The two frequently mention one another in interviews and other public forums, including hosting political fundraisers together. [25] On his relationship with Damon, Affleck said: "This friendship has been essential and defining and so important to me in my life. There were a few critical times, which are private and I don’t want to share, but where [Damon's] support was so profoundly meaningful to me that I don’t think I would’ve been able to be successful without it.” [26] Referencing his experience working with Affleck again on The Last Duel, Damon said "Why aren't we doing this more often? And getting into your 50s you just go: if we don't make it a priority, it just isn't going to happen.", [27] seemingly alluding to more collaborations between the two coming in the future.
The Damon–Affleck relationship is referenced in a 2023 Dunkin' Donuts commercial featuring Affleck. [28] It was referenced in a 2025 Stella Artois commercial that aired during Super Bowl LIX. [29]
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