Matt Damon tried to tell his wife, Luciana Barroso, first after learning that Christopher Nolan wanted him to play Odysseus in The Odyssey. A badly timed Zoom call meant Ben Affleck heard the news before she did.
During a joint appearance with Tom Holland on 100 Questions With Tom Simons, Damon said Barroso could not answer when he called, so he contacted his longtime friend and collaborator next.
Affleck “freaked out” over the casting and kept Damon on the phone for approximately half an hour. By the time their conversation ended, Barroso already knew because Affleck had gone into her office and told her himself.
Holland had a more straightforward experience after landing the role of Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. He said Zendaya was the first person he told, adding that Nolan is his wife’s favorite director.
Affleck ‘Freaked Out’ Over Damon’s Casting
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Damon recalled immediately calling Barroso after Nolan selected him to lead the adaptation of Homer’s epic. When she did not pick up because she was on Zoom, he moved to the next person he wanted to tell.
“I called Ben Affleck,” Damon said. Affleck’s excitement turned the announcement into a half-hour conversation between the childhood friends, who won an Academy Award for co-writing Good Will Hunting and later founded the production company Artists Equity.
Affleck and Damon have continued working together as actors, writers and producers. Their recent collaborations include Air, The Last Duel and The Rip.
Affleck Told Barroso Before Damon Could Call Back
After hanging up, Damon received a text from Barroso asking, “Why didn’t you tell me first?” Affleck and Barroso were both at the company’s Los Angeles office, and Affleck had run into her office to share the news before Damon could try her again.
She is a partner at the company and has produced projects involving both men, including Damon’s The Instigators and The Rip, as well as Affleck’s film Animals.
Damon told People that Barroso has read his scripts, watched cuts of his films and supplied creative notes throughout their relationship. “I’ve really relied on her notes for 23 years,” he said.
Damon Calls Affleck One of the Great Loves of His Life
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Damon also recently discussed his friendship with Affleck during an MTV UK interview with his Odyssey costars. After recognizing Affleck in a photograph, Damon joked about his pose before reflecting on their 45-year friendship. “We’ve been through a whole hell of a lot together,” he said, calling Affleck “one of the great loves of my life.”