Matt Damon, one of Hollywood's most recognizable and beloved actors, celebrates his 56th birthday today (Thursday). Over the years he has starred in dozens of films, won an Oscar and become one of the industry's biggest names. But alongside the on-screen success, there are plenty of interesting stories behind the scenes as well. In honor of his birthday, we've gathered ten things you may not have known about him.
1. He and Ben Affleck have been friends since childhood
Long before they became Hollywood stars, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were simply two kids growing up in the same Cambridge, Massachusetts neighborhood. They met as children, attended the same school and dreamed together of becoming actors. Even when they began trying their luck in Hollywood, they remained close and even shared a bank account during the period when they were still struggling to find work. More than four decades later, the two remain close friends and continue to collaborate on screen.
2. He left Harvard just before completing his degree
It's not every day you hear about someone who gets accepted to the prestigious Harvard University and decides to leave, but that's exactly what Damon did. In 1988 he began studying English literature while simultaneously trying to develop his acting career. As more opportunities in film came along, his studies were pushed aside, until he eventually decided to leave. The surprising part? He was only 12 credits short of completing his degree.
3. The film that won him an Oscar started as a college assignment
One of the films that turned Damon into a star was "Good Will Hunting," but the story behind it is no less interesting. The idea for the screenplay was born while he was studying at Harvard, as part of an assignment he submitted for a course. He later developed the story together with his close friend Ben Affleck, and the two managed to turn it into a successful Hollywood film. In 1998 they stood together on the Oscar stage and received the award for Best Original Screenplay. Damon was also nominated for Best Actor for his role in the film.
4. His first film role consisted of a single line
It's hard to imagine Matt Damon in a role lasting just a few seconds, but that's exactly how his career began. In 1988, when he was 18, he appeared in the film "Mystic Pizza" alongside Julia Roberts. His role was so small that it included only a single line of dialogue. In those days he was still a young actor at the beginning of his journey, with no idea that he would one day become one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
5. He turned down a role that could have earned him $250 million
If there's one decision Damon probably won't forget, it's the offer he received from James Cameron to star in "Avatar." The director wanted him for the lead role and even offered him ten percent of the film's revenues. But Damon was already committed to filming the "Jason Bourne" movies, and so he decided to decline. The role went to Sam Worthington, and "Avatar" became one of the most successful films in history. According to estimates, this decision cost Damon a potential income of approximately $250 million.
6. He met his wife by chance at a bar in Miami
Unlike many Hollywood stars, Damon didn't meet his wife on a film set. In 2003, while filming a movie in Miami, he went out with crew members and arrived at a bar where Luciana Barroso, a bartender from Argentina, was working. The chance meeting turned into a love story, and two years later they were married in a private ceremony in New York. Since then they've had three daughters together, and Damon also raises Luciana's daughter from a previous relationship.
7. He lost 40 pounds for a role — and it cost him his health
Damon is known for taking his roles seriously, but early in his career he took it a bit too far. For the 1996 film "Courage Under Fire," in which he played a soldier struggling with drug addiction, he decided to lose weight drastically. In a short time he shed about 40 pounds, but the sharp change damaged his health. He later spoke about the consequences of the rapid weight loss, which made the preparations for the film a difficult experience.
8. He's been in a "feud" with Jimmy Kimmel for over 20 years
Anyone familiar with Jimmy Kimmel's talk show has surely heard about his famous rivalry with Matt Damon. It all started in 2005, when Kimmel ended one of his shows with an apology to Damon for running out of time to interview him, even though the actor wasn't actually scheduled to appear. The joke worked so well that Kimmel kept using it again and again. Over the years the two turned it into a tradition of jabs, sketches and joint appearances, with each trying to one-up the other. And despite all the on-screen drama, it's of course purely comedic rivalry.
9. He almost became a villain in a Batman film
In 2008 Damon had an opportunity to join one of the most successful superhero films. He received an offer to play Harvey Dent in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight," a character who later becomes the villain Two-Face. But in the end he didn't participate in the film, and the role went to actor Aaron Eckhart. Nevertheless, Damon and Nolan did eventually work together, including on the films "Interstellar," "Oppenheimer" and "The Odyssey."
10. He's a devoted fan of the Boston baseball team
Even after decades in Hollywood, Damon remains connected to the city where he grew up. The actor is a longtime fan of the Boston Red Sox baseball team, and makes a point of following them and even attending games when he can. His love for the team began in his childhood, and long before the red carpets and awards, it was already an integral part of his life.
