Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, lifelong friends and Oscar-winning collaborators, delve into their motivation for founding Artists Equity. Inspired by their shared experiences and a Beatles documentary, they aim to create meaningful projects together. The duo emphasizes the importance of partnership and passion in their creative journey.
- Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's creative partnership grows
- THIS is the inspiration behind Artists Equity
- Future projects and company roles will follow
Damon and Affleck's Creative Spark
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have rekindled their creative partnership through their production company, Artists Equity. The duo, who first gained fame with their Oscar-winning film 'Good Will Hunting,' announced the formation of their company in November 2022.
Damon previously told 'Entertainment Tonight' of his long-lasting friendship and partnership with Affleck, "I’ve known him for 35 years, and we grew up together. We were both in love with the same thing: acting and filmmaking." "I think we fed on each other’s obsession during really formative, important years," he added, "and that bonded us for life."
Known for their individual successes in Hollywood, they have now joined forces to produce films such as 'Air,' 'The Instigators,' 'Small Things Like These,' and 'Unstoppable.' Their renewed collaboration began while working on Ridley Scott's 'The Last Duel,' released in 2021.
In a candid conversation with 'Deadline', Damon shared how watching 'The Beatles: Get Back' documentary with his daughter Stella sparked an emotional response.
"We had this experience on The Last Duel. Ben and I hadn’t written together in so long, and I watched that Peter Jackson Beatles documentary, the one that ends with that performance on the roof," he recalled. "These guys are playing, and it’s The Beatles, and they’re live and you can see the joy that they’re playing with. They’re so excited, and then Peter Jackson puts a chyron up that says, this is the last live performance that the Beatles ever gave."
Damon continued: "... She turned and looked at me. She said, ‘Dad, why are you crying?’ I had tears running down my face because of the missed opportunity that these four incredible musicians who clearly loved each other never got," he said. "That was the impetus behind putting this company together."
This moment highlighted the missed opportunities of the legendary band and inspired Damon to consider his own legacy with Affleck. Affleck echoed this sentiment, stating that their realization came from understanding the importance of spending time with people who define one's life.
Damon said, "I was like, what are we doing, man? Both of us, this is what we love to do more than anything. The only thing better is doing it together, in any capacity, whether he’s directing or whether we’re acting together or whether we’re producing together, or whether we’re just facilitating for other filmmakers."
"How much life do we have left and what are we going to do with it?" he added. Damon and Affleck are actively involved in their Los Angeles-based company, with Damon serving as chief content officer and Affleck as CEO. In the same 'Deadline' interview, Affleck explained that he and Damon wanted to spend more time working together.
"... Really at the root of this company was Matt and my realization that your life is defined so much by the people that you spend time with every day," he said. "On The Last Duel, we agreed we ought to do more stuff together. Life is just a lot more fun and rewarding when we’re spending time together, and working together."
"If we can choose who we want to be around, let’s make that a really rewarding part of our lives. And that was as much a guiding principle of this, going forward," he continued. "Who do we want to be partners and making movies just in terms of who do we want to spend time with, who do we want to be partners with? What do we want?"
The future looks good
Their next venture includes a Netflix film titled 'RIP,' where they both star as undercover cops.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s friendship is one of Hollywood’s most enduring and well-known relationships. Their bond traces back to their childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they became inseparable friends while growing up. Both shared a passion for film and storytelling, which laid the foundation for their future successes in the industry.
Their breakthrough came with the release of 'Good Will Hunting', a film they co-wrote and starred in, which not only won them an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay but also cemented their status as rising stars. The film’s success marked the beginning of a professional partnership that would see them collaborate on numerous projects, both in front of and behind the camera.
What makes their friendship so unique is the level of mutual respect and loyalty they've maintained throughout the years. Despite their individual careers soaring, with Affleck becoming an acclaimed director and actor and Damon earning recognition for a wide range of roles, they have consistently supported each other’s endeavors.
They co-founded the production company 'Pearl Street Films,' which has produced several projects, and continue to work together creatively.
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Their dynamic goes beyond business; it’s rooted in a deep personal connection, with each man always quick to defend the other in public. Whether it’s reminiscing about their early struggles or facing challenges in the spotlight, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s friendship remains a testament to the power of shared history, mutual respect, and a genuine camaraderie that has stood the test of time.
