Matt Damon mourns over something no one saw coming

Matt Damon recently revealed the film that slipped through his hands and the actor who ultimately made it his own.

In an interview with USA Today, Damon said the part was in Gus Van Sant’s 2008 biopic Milk, a project he was originally attached to before scheduling conflicts forced a recast.

“I was supposed to do Milk with Gus,” Damon said, adding, “Then Sean [Penn] had a scheduling issue, the film got pushed, and it became a conflict for me.”

The role went to Josh Brolin, who portrayed Dan White opposite Penn’s Harvey Milk. 

Brolin’s performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Despite his disappointment, Damon said the outcome ultimately felt right. “I loved the script and had already done research,” he said, adding, “But it was probably better served by Josh. He was amazing.”

Looking back, Damon added that the experience taught him perspective. “It was a moment in my 30s where I thought, ‘That must’ve happened for a reason.’”

The reflection comes as Damon reunites with longtime collaborator Ben Affleck in Netflix’s new action thriller The Rip, where the pair play Miami police officers whose loyalties are tested after discovering a large sum of cash.

The Rip, written and directed by Joe Carnahan, is now streaming on Netflix.