Matt Damon Says He 'Can’t Imagine' Living Under the Same Scrutiny as Ben Affleck: ‘I’ve Been Really Lucky’

Mar. 15, 2025

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.Photo:Michael Loccisano/Getty

Michael Loccisano/Getty

Matt Damonfeels forBen Affleckwhen it comes to life in the spotlight.

In a new podcast interview, Damon, 53, said he “can’t imagine” dealing with the scrutiny his best friend Affleck, 51, faces.

“I’ve been really lucky in that way … especially when I look at Casey’s brother, Ben. I can’t imagine living under that kind of scrutiny," Damon said on theRadio Times Podcaston Aug. 6 while promoting his new film with Ben’s siblingCasey Affleck,The Instigators.

“And it’s been like that for 25 years and we’ve had parallel careers in a lot of ways and so I’m fortunate to have been kind of excused from that part of [it]," he added.

Jennifer Lopez; Ben Affleck.Darren Gerrish/Getty Images for One&Only; Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Darren Gerrish/Getty Images for One&Only; Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

While Damon rose to fame alongside Affleck in their late 20s after their Oscar-winning turn in the 1998 filmGood Will Hunting, he shared that their paths couldn’t be more different when it comes to the media attention they’ve received in the decades since.

“That magazine culture that was so huge you know … 25 years ago kind of ignored me…” Damon recalled. “Right, like a guy who’s married, it’s so boring."

“What would sell those things were scandal and sex and all that stuff … and as long as you didn’t do any of that stuff it wasn’t really worth their time to wait to take your picture and so I ended up kind of getting left alone," he said.

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Matt Damon.Stefanie Keenan/VF24/WireImage

Stefanie Keenan/VF24/WireImage

“I just wanted to get to work and so I kind of hid for a few years while I got my bearings,” the actor said. “Luckily fell in love with someone who was not in the business who would tolerate that side of it and that really helped me,” he added, referring to his wifeLuciana Damon, whosupported him at the New York premiere ofThe Instigatorsalongside theirfour daughterslast month.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Affleck and Lopez, 55, meanwhile, havespent much of the summer apart, including theirsecond wedding anniversaryon July 16. While Lopez had an extended stayin the Hamptonsfollowing aEuropean vacationbefore herreturn to Los Angelesearlier this month, Affleck was oftenspotted in L.A.

However, asource told PEOPLEon Monday, Aug. 12, that Lopez visited Affleck’s rental home in Brentwood, Calif. while he was there on Sunday, Aug. 11. Earlier in the day, theAtlasstar also accompanied his son Samuel, 12, to the mall.

source: people.com