Ben Affleck i Matt Damon they really are best friends forever.
Affleck, 53, and Damon, 55, reunited at the Tuesday, Jan. 13, premiere of their new film The Rip in New York City, opening up about what they’re learning and relearning from each other as they continue to work together over the years.
“I keep learning things about Matt that I already knew and I forget,” Affleck, 53, joked. Us Weekly exclusively before getting serious about their decades-long friendship. “Honestly, I’m constantly reminded of what a great father he is and what a fabulous actor he is.”
Affleck added that it’s “fun” that he and Damon can navigate their careers together. “You’re very lucky if you can do this for a living,” he said. “And you’re exceptionally lucky if you can do it with people you love and care about.”
Matt Damon has been married to his wife, Luciana Barroso, for over 20 years, but it turns out that his eyes were initially drawn to his best friend Ben Affleck. “That’s completely true,” Damon, 55, began on Monday’s Jan. 12 episode of The Howard Stern Show after being asked if Affleck, 53, (…)
Damon then jokingly told his BFF to “move on” with kind words, prompting Affleck to reply, “Yeah, take that money and put it in your back pocket!”
The ride-or-die duo have been together since writing and starring in 1997 Oscar winning drama Goodwill Hunting. Since then, they have collaborated on multiple projects together over the years, both in front of and behind the camera.The Rip serves as his latest project, which follows a group of Miami cops who, after discovering a stash of millions in cash, begin to question who they can trust.
“These are people who don’t make a lot of money. And it’s about going out and doing an honest day’s work, and the integrity and meaning of that,” Affleck explained of the film during an appearance on Monday, Jan. 12 at The Howard Stern Show. “(They are) underappreciated, often under suspicion and underfunded.”
The couple also reflected on the experience of the ups and downs of fame while speaking with Stern, 72, noting that they feel lucky to have been considered for each other during their 40 years in the spotlight.
“Getting famous and successful together, (we had) someone to turn to and say ‘is this bullshit or what?’ Or say ‘what are you doing, man?’” Affleck shared, to which Damon responded, “We hit the lottery. We hit it together.”
This remains true for their personal lives as well. When asked if he had been there for Affleck when he was going through “all his problems,” including his divorces and substance abuse problems, Damon told Stern. he has been with his friend for “all this”.
Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Garner from 2005 to 2018 and the couple share three children: Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 13. Their divorce was finalized in 2021, the same year Argo director reconnected Jennifer Lopezwho he was previously engaged to in 2002. They married in 2022 but divorced after two years of marriage. Affleck has also been open about his struggles with alcohol over the years.
“Could you go to Ben and say, ‘I’m here to help you?'” Stern asked Damon, who didn’t hesitate in his answer. “Oh, yeah, our relationship isn’t affected by what people say.”
Affleck, meanwhile, shared how grateful he is to have Damon in his life. “This means a lot to me,” he said The Odyssey actor “That’s kind of what a real friend is.”
Damon has been married to the woman Luciana Barroso since 2005 and the couple share four daughters: Alexia, 25, Isabella, 19, Gia, 17, and Stella, 15. Speaking to Stern on Monday, Damon confessed that Barroso initially thought Affleck was “the hotter” of the two when watching Good Will Hunting and before meeting him in person.
Since then, the trio has worked together on multiple projects, with Barroso as producer The Rip. She is also set to co-produce Affleck’s next directorial venture, Animals. Despite awkward first impressions, Affleck told Stern that they’ve all become great friends and that he’s witnessed how strong Damon and Barroso are as a couple from the start.
“It’s a really great marriage and friendship and two people who when they’re separate and independent from each other are each other’s partner,” Affleck said of Damon and Barroso’s 20-year union. “I feel like it’s gotten better.”
The Rip premieres on Netflix on Friday, January 16.