Hollywood stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s friendship of 40 years has stood the test of time. The two actors have closely supported each other through their journeys to superstardom while also having collaborated professionally with great success. The highlight of their careers was their Oscar win in 1997 for their joint writing effort in Good Will Hunting, a film in which they acted together as well.
The Martian star and the Argo director have now carved a new path together by starting their own production company named Artists’ Equity and are already collaborating on bringing many inspirational narratives to the fore. Affleck and Damon’s camaraderie has also been well documented with both stars never shying away from pulling each other’s leg in public.
Matt Damon Was Denied A Role By Ben Affleck
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s long-standing friendship is one for the history books. The two stars have shared a comfort level that has allowed them to support and take jibes at each other in equal measure. Matt Damon in a past interview stated that he had a bone to pick with his friend as Affleck did not approach him to play a role in his disturbing directorial thriller The Town in 2010. The character was finally essayed by Marvel star Jeremy Renner who also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Ben Affleck for his part, defended himself from his friend and colleague’s criticism with a valid response stating,
“Let me tell you the truth, we couldn’t afford Matt Damon by a country mile. Matt Damon would’ve cost what the movie cost, you know what I mean.”
Damon went on to laughingly concur with Affleck’s reasoning and said that his role in the Bourne Identity series was instrumental in catapulting him into the big leagues.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Have Big Projects Planned For The Future
Rarely, competitors can also be friends in Hollywood but actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have proved that it is possible with their 4-decade-long friendship which also saw both stars collaborating professionally. The celebrities are now taking their association to the next level by starting their production company named Artists’ Equity. According to a statement made by both actors,
“the company will allow film and TV talent to take ownership of their creative power, providing a platform for both established and emerging filmmakers to streamline the development of their content.”
The production company will aim to bring inspirational stories to light. Their first venture will be Air which will follow the game-changing partnership between basketball legend Michael Jordan and the iconic Air Jordan brand. Affleck and Damon will also produce Unstoppable which will see the Gone Girl actor reuniting with his wife Jennifer Lopez on screen after almost 20 years. Unstoppable will recount the story of Anthony Robles, a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State University.
Source: Insider
