Matt Damon of "Odyssey," "There Was a Time When Casting Calls Just Stopped"... "The Bourne Identity" Set Him Back on His Feet

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GQ Magazine's "Man of the Year" Cover Interview Reveals

Even Hollywood top star Matt Damon (56) had a period when casting calls abruptly stopped. What set him back on his feet was "The Bourne Identity."

In a cover interview for the American men's magazine GQ, released on the 5th (local time), Damon candidly shared about the slump in his career in the early 2000s. GQ published this interview in its December issue under the headline, "We Didn't Know Matt Damon Could Be This Amazing at 56."

When asked if there was a time when his career had cooled off, Damon replied, "Yes, yes, of course." The first crisis came just before the release of "The Bourne Identity" (2002). "Wild Wild West" (2000), which he starred in alongside Will Smith and Charlize Theron, was a box office failure. He laughed, saying, "Will was the biggest star then and now, so it's not Will's fault."

Subsequently, "All the Pretty Horses" (2000), directed by Billy Bob Thornton, also failed at the box office after being edited against the director's wishes due to a disagreement between the production company and the director over the film's direction. He recalled, "So there was a period when the phone just didn't ring," adding, "That silence was... the moment the rose-tinted glasses came off."

To make matters worse, rumors circulated that "The Bourne Identity" would become a flop as its release was delayed by about a year. In the meantime, no one sought him out. The only exception was director Steven Soderberg. Soderberg offered Damon the lead role in the film "Infiltration." Damon said, "I was so bewildered that I asked, 'Are you asking me to write the script?'" and added, "No one was contacting me at the time, so I couldn't even imagine someone offering me a role." Soderberg reportedly replied, "What are you talking about? Scott Burns is writing the script. I'd like you to take on the lead role." Damon expressed his gratitude, saying, "I have never forgotten that. He didn't care at all what others said." And finally, "The Bourne Identity" was released and achieved great success.

Damon also touched on the cold realities of Hollywood. He stated, "It's not personal feelings; it's business. People can't just step forward to help," adding, "Whether you make the list or fall off is determined by quite a cold calculation." When asked if that "list" was rumor-based, he said, "No. There are very frank conversations between agents and studio officials like 'We can't approve a film with X, but we can with Y,'" and added, "I know that sometimes I'm on the list and sometimes I'm not."

The second warning came around 2012 to 2014. His agent of 35 years, Patrick Whitesell, warned him, "At this rate, you'll become a supporting actor." This was due to his consecutive supporting roles following good directors, such as the Coen Brothers' "The Brave" and George Clooney's "Monuments Men." The work he encountered at that time was "The Martian" (2015).

He also shared his regrets about missed opportunities. Recalling his refusal to appear in the film "Ted," he said, "I read the script and laughed that hard for the first time." Nevertheless, he explained, "I overthought it and convinced myself that 'the teddy bear has the best role,' so I turned it down." He mentioned that the filming location was his hometown of Boston, adding with regret, "Looking back now that my father has passed away, those would have been six months I could have spent at home." However, he added, "The right person took on that role. Mark Wahlberg was excellent."

These confessions are all the more eye-catching given that he is currently having one of the best years of his career. This summer, Damon played the lead role of Odysseus in director Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey." He said, "The biggest box office hit among the films I've starred in was 'The Martian,' but 'Odyssey' seems to have earned three times as much." When asked if this year is the biggest of his career, he replied, "It seems so." Nevertheless, he cautioned, "Nothing is certain. The moment you think 'this will definitely be a huge hit,' problems arise."

He also shared an amusing anecdote from the filming set. While having dinner with his children at a small hotel in Scotland, director Nolan came back after reviewing the footage and said to him, "Oh, Matt. I didn't recognize you because of your beard." They had been together for six months. Damon laughed, saying, "My kids asked, 'Dad, does Christopher Nolan not know who Dad is?' and I told them, 'No, he's just too tired.'"

In fact, he said he didn't expect to be this busy this year. Damon stated, "I didn't think I would get work," revealing that he is currently filming a new project directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert of "Everything Everywhere All at Once." He introduced the film as "a cosmic love bomb for the world" and added, "We've almost finished shooting, and when it's done, I'll rest for a long time."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original