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Matt Damon
Damon promoting The Bourne Ultimatum in September 2007
Born
Matthew Paige Damon
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, producer
Years active1988–present
SpouseLuciana Bozán Barroso (2005–present)

Matthew Paige Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an Academy Award-winning American screenwriter and actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his screenwriting in Good Will Hunting and was nominated for his lead performance in the same film. Growing steadily in popularity from the 1997 film, he has since matched up with A-list actors in mainstream films, and today is rated amongst the top actors in Hollywood.

With his wife, Luciana Bozán Barroso, Damon has a daughter, and also a stepdaughter from Barroso's prior marriage. He has won multiple awards for his film performances and is one of the top twenty-five highest grossing actors of all time. Damon has been actively involved in several charitable organizations, including the ONE Campaign and H2O Africa Foundation. In his most recent roles, he portrayed Jason Bourne in The Bourne Ultimatum, and had an uncredited cameo in Youth Without Youth.[1] His next upcoming role will be in Margaret, expected to be released in 2008.

Early life

Damon was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts the son of Kent Telfer Damon, a stockbroker, realtor, and tax preparer, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, an early childhood education professor at Lesley University.[2] In an interview with Mail on Sunday, Damon responded that his grandfather is probably the most "impressive person he knows," stating, "He's Finnish, a very proud man, who would never take help from anybody. He came to America when he was a little boy, grew up during the Depression and sold shoes. He always used to tell us the story about getting a raise of three and a half cents, and how that was an incredible moment of success. He's extraordinary."[3] Damon has a brother, Kyle, who is an accomplished sculptor and artist.[4] Damon and his family lived in Newton for the first two years of his life, but after his parents divorced, Damon and his brother moved with his mother to Cambridge.[5]

Damon grew up near neighbor Ben Affleck, a close friend since childhood and future collaborator on several films, and historian and author Howard Zinn,[5][6] whose biographical film You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train[7] and audio version of A People's History of the United States Damon narrated. Damon attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, and performed in several theater productions.[8] He graduated from the school in 1988 and began attending Harvard University the same year. Damon could have graduated with the class of 1992, but kept leaving classes to pursue acting projects, including the TNT original film Rising Son and ensemble prep-school drama School Ties.[9] While at Harvard, he studied English and lived in Lowell House. He did not take part in student theater generally, but did appear in A... My Name is Alice (in one of the three male roles usually performed by women).[10] Damon dropped out of the university with twelve units left to graduate to pursue his acting career in Los Angeles after he expected Geronimo: An American Legend to be a big success.[11]

Career

Early career

His first film role came in 1988 when he was 18, with a single line of dialogue in the romantic comedy Mystic Pizza. Damon appeared in small roles before landing a big part in Geronimo: An American Legend with Gene Hackman and Jason Patric.[9] He next appeared as a heroin-addicted soldier in 1996's Courage Under Fire. He was required to lose 40 pounds (18 kg) in 100 days (for only two days of filming).[12][13] After following a self-prescribed diet and fitness regimen to lose the weight, Damon was told after filming that he was fortunate his heart did not shrink. Damon took medication for several years afterwards to correct the stress inflicted on his adrenal gland, and has stated that it was worthwhile to properly portray his character and show the industry how committed he was to the role.[13]

Breakthrough

Damon and Affleck developed a thriller about a young math genius, which they pitched around Hollywood. Receiving advice from writer/director/actor Rob Reiner, screenwriter William Goldman, and their friend writer/director Kevin Smith,[11] the two changed the script around to focus on a young math genius trying to make his way in the world. The script eventually became Good Will Hunting, and received nine Academy Awards nominations, earning Damon and Affleck Oscars for Best Original Screenplay.[14] Damon was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for the same film and the film netted an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for co-star Robin Williams. Damon and Affleck were each paid salaries of $500,000; the film grossed over $100 million at the box office. Damon parodied his role in the film in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. After meeting Damon on the set of Good Will Hunting, director Steven Spielberg cast Damon in the World War II film Saving Private Ryan (1998).[11]

Along with Affleck and producers Chris Moore and Sean Bailey, Damon founded the production company LivePlanet, through which the four created the documentary series Project Greenlight to find and fund worthwhile film projects from novice filmmakers.[15] The company produced and founded the failed mystery-hybrid series Push, Nevada amongst other projects. Project Greenlight was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program in 2002, 2004, and 2005.[11]

Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Julia Roberts, cast of Ocean's Eleven and director Steven Soderbergh in December 2001

Damon has been known to choose a wide variety of film roles, from his portrayal of bisexual murderer Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor, to a fallen angel who discusses pop culture as intellectual subject matter in Dogma, in which he co-starred with Affleck (1999); from a conjoined twin in Stuck on You, to a film he co-wrote with friend Casey Affleck and Gus Van Sant with limited dialogue—the low budget experimental film Gerry. Damon has been part of two major film franchises. He played amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne in the successful action movies The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum, and starred as the youthful, optimistic thief Linus Caldwell, opposite George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts in Steven Soderbergh's 2001 remake of the Rat Pack's 1960 caper classic Ocean's Eleven. The successful crime dramedy spawned two sequels: Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

Among other high profile roles, Damon played a fictionalized version of Wilhelm Grimm in Terry Gilliam's fantasy adventure The Brothers Grimm and an energy analyst in Syriana. He was recently onscreen in Robert De Niro's The Good Shepherd as a career CIA agent, and played an undercover mobster working for the Massachusetts State Police in Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning The Departed, a remake of the Hong Kong police thriller Infernal Affairs. He had an uncredited cameo in Francis Ford Coppola's Youth Without Youth (released in 2007) and has a supporting role in Kenneth Lonergan's film Margaret, due in 2008.

In 2007, rumors stated that producer J.J. Abrams was trying to get Damon to play James T. Kirk in the eleventh Star Trek feature film. Damon told IGN on July 20, 2007, that he would not be in the film as the director was casting someone significantly younger, and speculation about his casting had been solely based on Internet rumors.[16]

Box office performance

In motion pictures that feature him as a leading actor or supporting co-star, his films have grossed a total of $1.92[17] to $2.28 billion[18] (based on counting his roles as strictly lead or including supporting roles) at the North American box office, placing him in the top twenty-five grossing actors of all time. In August 2007, financial magazine Forbes created a list of actors who generated the best box office performance related to their salaries; the list placed Damon as the most bankable star of the actors reviewed, revealing that Damon had averaged $29 at the box office for every dollar he earned for his last three films.[19]

Upcoming films

Damon's future projects include three films that will debut between 2008 and 2009: In 2008, he will portray Mr. Aaron in the drama Margaret. He began filming Green Zone in January, 2008, and starts filming Steven Soderbergh's thriller, The Informant, in Central Illinois during April, 2008. Although Universal studio executives claimed in an article at Variety on 22 February 2008 that Damon and director Paul Greengrass had signed on for a fourth Bourne film, this was denied by Damon and Greengrass on 9 March 2008, where Damon said they had not agreed to another Bourne film. [20] [21] Damon stated "There are a lot of things that would have to happen before we would sign up for it."[22]

Personal life

Damon has had relationships with several actresses throughout his career. Damon had a two-year relationship with actress Winona Ryder.[23] He also dated Odessa Whitmire, who has worked as a personal assistant for Billy Bob Thornton and Ben Affleck, from 2001 to 2003.[24] His relationship with Good Will Hunting co-star Minnie Driver reportedly ended when Damon announced their break-up on The Oprah Winfrey Show, though both actors have repeatedly denied this. Damon later stated that he was "sick and tired" of hearing the story, saying it was false. Driver's sister allegedly told Cosmopolitan that the couple had broken up before the show was taped.[25] Although the media often claimed Damon dated actress Eva Mendes, both have denied any relationship.[26][27]

Damon met Argentine-born Luciana Bozan Barroso in Miami, where she was working as a bartender.[28] They married in a private civil ceremony on December 9, 2005, in New York City Hall. Damon became stepfather to Bozan's young daughter, Alexia, from her previous marriage. The couple's first child together, daughter Isabella, was born on June 11, 2006 in Miami, Florida.[29]

Damon and his wife are expecting their second child.[30]

Philanthropy

Damon, along with frequent co-stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt, supports ONE, a campaign fighting AIDS and poverty in Third World countries. He has appeared in their print and television advertising.

Damon is a board member of GreenDimes.com, an organization that attempts to halt the tons of junk mail delivered to American homes each day.[31][32] Appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 20, 2007, Damon promoted the organization's efforts to prevent the trees used for junk mail letters and envelopes from being chopped down. Damon stated: "For an estimated dime a day they can stop 70 per cent of the junk mail that comes to your house. It's very simple, easy to do, great gift to give, I've actually signed up my entire family. It was a gift given to me this past holiday season and I was so impressed that I'm now on the board of the company."[33]

Damon; along with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, and Jerry Weintraub; is one of the founders of Not On Our Watch, an organization that focuses global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities such as in Darfur.[34] He is also the founder of H2O Africa Foundation, the charitable arm of the Running the Sahara expedition.[11][35]

Interests and notable events

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel often says: "Our apologies to Matt Damon, we ran out of time" near the end of his ABC television show Jimmy Kimmel Live, a gag lampooning instances where shows cannot feature their last guest due to time constraints. On September 12, 2006, after a segment highlighting the running gag and a lengthy introduction by Kimmel, Damon finally appeared on the show, only for Kimmel to apologetically cut his interview and head to credits, as Damon cursed him. Kimmel later confirmed to USA Weekend that the skit was entirely planned and Damon willingly played along.[36] Kimmel's girlfriend, comedian Sarah Silverman, also used this line at the end of the 2007 MTV Movie Awards.[37] This gag was also used again when Guillermo interviewed Damon at the Ocean's 13 premiere, with Damon asking "Are you with Kimmel?"[38][39] Silverman also aired a clip of her singing a song entitled "I'm Fucking Matt Damon" on January 31, 2008 on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Damon appears in the song with Silverman and at the end when she is apologizing to Jimmy, Damon interrupts her saying, "Jimmy, we're out of time. Sorry."[40] Kimmel himself later responded by showing a music video in which he announced, through song, that he is "Fucking Ben Affleck". The video aired on February 24, 2008 and featured Affleck along with celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Cameron Diaz, Joan Jett, Macy Gray, Robin Williams, Don Cheadle, Pete Wentz, Perry Farrell, Benji and Joel Madden, Lance Bass, Huey Lewis, Josh Groban, McLovin, Christina Applegate, Rebecca Romijn, Dominic Monaghan, Meatloaf and various others.

Handprints and footprints of Damon in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre

Damon appeared on Hardball with Chris Matthews in December 2006 and discussed the ongoing war in Iraq. Responding to Chris Matthews, Damon stated: "I don't think that it's fair, as I said before, that it seems like we have a fighting class in our country that's comprised of people who have to go for either financial reasons, or, I don't think that that is fair and if you're gonna send people to war ... then that needs to be shared by everybody."[41]

Matt is a fan of the Boston Red Sox.[42]

Awards and honors

Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1988 Mystic Pizza Steamer One line
1992 School Ties Charlie Dillon
1993 Geronimo: An American Legend 2nd Lt. Britton Davis
1996 Glory Daze Edgar Pudwhacker Cameo
Courage Under Fire Specialist Ilario
1997 Good Will Hunting Will Hunting Also co-writer
Salary of $500,000[11]
Academy Award - Best Original Screenplay (shared with Ben Affleck)
The Rainmaker Rudy Baylor
Chasing Amy Shawn Oran Cameo
1998 Rounders Mike McDermott Salary of $600,000[47]
Saving Private Ryan Private James Francis Ryan
1999 The Talented Mr. Ripley Tom Ripley Salary of $5,000,000[7]
Dogma Loki
2000 Finding Forrester Steven Sanderson Cameo
All the Pretty Horses John Grady Cole Salary of $5,500,000[7]
The Legend of Bagger Vance Rannulph Junuh Salary of $7,000,000[7]
Titan A.E. Cale Tucker Voice only
2001 The Majestic Luke Trimble Voice only
Ocean's Eleven Linus Caldwell Salary of $5,000,000[7]
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Himself Cameo
2002 Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Matt, bachelor #2 Cameo
The Bourne Identity Jason Bourne Salary of $10,000,000[11]
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Spirit Voice
Gerry Gerry Also co-writer
2003 Stuck on You Bob
2004 Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train Narrator Voice
Ocean's Twelve Linus Caldwell
The Bourne Supremacy Jason Bourne Salary of $26,000,000[19]
Jersey Girl PR Exec #2 Cameo
Eurotrip Donny Cameo
2005 Syriana Bryan Woodman
The Brothers Grimm Will (Wilhelm) Grimm Salary of $10,000,000[7]
2006 The Good Shepherd Edward Wilson
The Departed Colin Sullivan
2007 Ocean's Thirteen Linus Caldwell
The Bourne Ultimatum Jason Bourne
Youth Without Youth Life Magazine Reporter Cameo
2008 Running the Sahara Narrator, Executive Producer Post-production
Margaret Mr. Aaron Completed
2009
The Informant Mark Whitacre Pre-production
TBA The Green Zone Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller Filming

References

  1. ^ "Variety.com". Review of Youth Without Youth. Retrieved November 23. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Hollywood.com". Matt Damon Full Biography. Retrieved September 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Mail on Sunday, June 10, 2001.
  4. ^ "Animation Magazine". Matt Damon Animated for Arthur. Retrieved September 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b "ActingBiz". Matt Damon. Retrieved September 7. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Horowitz, David. Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam And The American Left. Regnery Publishing. p. 102. ISBN 089526076X.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "IMDB.com". Biography for Matt Damon. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "AskMen.com". Matt Damon Biography. Retrieved September 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b Stated in interview on Inside the Actors Studio
  10. ^ "The Harvard Crimson". Ex Show Safe but Satisfying. Retrieved September 11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Tiscali.ca". MATT DAMON BIOGRAPHY. Retrieved September 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Tribute.ca". Matt Damon bio: The Bourne Ultimatum Actor. Retrieved September 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ a b "YahooIndia". Weight loss left Damon feeling like a "wreck". Retrieved September 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "The Huffington Post". Lawrence Bender. Retrieved September 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "About Project Greenlight". Project Greenlight. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  16. ^ "Matt Damon Sets the Star Trek Record Straight". RottenTomatoes. Retrieved 2007-09-06.
  17. ^ "Box Office Mojo". PEOPLE INDEX. Retrieved September 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "The Numbers". All Time Top 100 Stars at the Box Office. Retrieved September 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b "Ultimate Star Payback". Forbes. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
  20. ^ http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981337.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562
  21. ^ http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22138
  22. ^ http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22138
  23. ^ Reiter, Amy (2000-04-26). "Rearview window". Salon.com.
  24. ^ "IMDB". Matt Damon Has New Girlfriend. Retrieved September 6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "FortuneCity.com". Answers to commonly asked questions. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "FemaleFirst.co.uk". Eva Mendes Slams Matt Damon Rumour. Retrieved September 12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ "FOXNews.com". Eva Mendes and Matt Damon: Just Friends. Retrieved September 12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  28. ^ "Quietest Celebrity Wedding - Matt Damon and Luciana Bozan Barroso". GlenPower.com. Retrieved September 6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ "People.com". Matt Damon, Wife Have a Girl. Retrieved September 6. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ EXCLUSIVE: Matt Damon & Wife Expecting!
  31. ^ "GreenDimes.com". Green Dimes. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ "Oprah.com". Matt Damon's Crusade to Stop Junk Mail. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "DAMON GOES GREEN AFTER JUNK MAIL CHRISTMAS GIFT". CBS2Chicago.com. Retrieved September 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)[dead link]
  34. ^ "NotOurWatchProject.org". Not On Our Watch. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ "GWC.org". Actor Matt Damon aims to create public awareness of the water crisis with H20 Africa. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  36. ^ "USAWeekend.com". Who's News. Retrieved September 1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ "2007 MTV Movie Awards". MTV Movie Awards Recap: A Night Full of Edgy. Retrieved January 15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ "Internet Movie Database". "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Episode dated 5 June 2007. Retrieved January 15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); line feed character in |work= at position 21 (help)
  39. ^ "YouTube". Matt Damon gets blown off by Guillermo at red carpet event. Retrieved January 15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ Jordan, Julie (2008-02-02). "Behind Matt Damon's Raunchy Payback to Jimmy Kimmel". People. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  41. ^ "OperationYellowElephant". Matt Damon Joins Operation Yellow Elephant. Retrieved September 8. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ Edes, Gordon (2007-11-27). "Loyalty not an act for this Red Sox fan". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-02-03.
  43. ^ a b "Internet Movie Database". Awards for Matt Damon. Retrieved September 7. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  44. ^ "Xinhua.com". Matt Damon gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Retrieved September 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ "FOXNews.com". Matt Damon Gets Hollywood Walk of Fame Star. Retrieved September 3. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  46. ^ "People.com". Matt Damon Named Sexiest Man Alive. Retrieved November 14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ "Wild About Movies". Matt Damon Interview. Retrieved September 10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

Further reading

  • Altman, Sheryl and Berk, Sheryl. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck: On and Off Screen. HarperCollins Publishers, 1998. ISBN 0061071455.
  • Bego, Mark. Matt Damon: Chasing a Dream. Andrews Mcmeel Pub, 1998. ISBN 0836271319.
  • Diamond, Maxine and Hemmings, Harriet. Matt Damon a Biography. Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 1998. ISBN 0671026496.
  • Nickson, Chris. Matt Damon: An Unauthorized Biography. Renaissance Books, 1999. ISBN 1580630723.
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