Matt Damon reflects on decades-long bond with Ben Affleck

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are reflecting on their decades-long friendship as they gear up for the release of their upcoming Netflix crime thriller, The Rip.

Speaking in a Netflix video released on January 8, Damon, 55, and Affleck, 53, were asked how they’ve managed to maintain a friendship spanning more than 40 years.

“Well, when I approach making a friendship last, what I—,” Affleck joked, before trailing off.

Damon explained that their bond was rooted in a shared obsession with filmmaking from an early age. “We were both obsessed with making movies and acting,” he said, adding that they grew up in a city where that dream “wasn’t even a thing.”

“That wasn’t even an option,” Affleck echoed, as Damon joked, “I guess we were f------ weird kids.”

“Presumptuous and nerdy and kind of out of it,” Affleck added, noting that working in the same profession with a close friend has helped sustain their relationship over time.

The duo grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and rose to fame together after co-writing and starring in Good Will Hunting (1997), which earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Addressing rivalry, Affleck said they were fortunate their friendship was never driven by competition. “One-upmanship can be corrosive,” he said, adding that growing up two blocks apart with similar interests created a lasting sense of solidarity.

The Rip begins streaming on Netflix on January 16.