Few celebrity friendships are arguably as tight as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s as the two stars knew each other long before they became famous. The Boston-bred pair were childhood pals who pushed each other and eventually found success in Hollywood, in great part due to Good Will Hunting, which they won Oscars for. Because Damon and Affleck are still so close, they don’t mind ribbing each other now and then. Affleck recently trolled his buddy over The Odyssey again, but his thoughts also signify how close they are.
Ben Affleck has been promoting his directorial entry on the 2026 movie schedule release, Animals, and has revealed some interesting behind-the-scenes details. While making the rounds, the filmmaker revealed that before he decided to play the lead role, Damon was supposed to take it on. However, due to delays, Damon had to bow out to film The Odyssey. This came up during Affleck’s recent chat on The Today Show, and he had all the jokes when discussing his pal’s decision. Take a look:
It’s been fun to watch Affleck poke fun at Damon over his decision to join Christopher Nolan’s box-office breaking historical epic. As can be seen in the Instagram video above, the Daredevil alum has no trouble joking not only about Damon but the film he headlined this past summer. As Affleck said when he joked about not being the first choice for the lead:
Usually, that makes me self-conscious and insecure, but it is technically true. I was passed over initially. Unfortunately, [I] found out, as we were getting pretty close to production. ‘Hey, you know, there’s another kidnapping movie, and it’s got this similar plot. And Matt then shortly thereafter ended up getting offered this little kind of shitty little movie, The Odyssey, that bombed. And he was very embarrassed by it, of course. It just didn’t work at the box office or with the critics, which happens sometimes.
As a fan, I find it hard not to love whenever Damon or Affleck jab each other, but that’s just one part of their awesome friendship. There’s also the part that sees the two expressing true happiness when one of them lands a new opportunity. With that in mind, Affleck gives off true proud friend vibes during the interview as well:
I mean, he was really, as happy as I’ve ever seen him the day that he got that job. At that point, I was like, ‘I’m just going to play the part.’
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Now, these comments represent friendship goals. I’d like to assume that many of us have those friends we’ve known long enough that can troll them in fun ways. But, at the end of the day, there’s nothing but pure love, and we can also celebrate each other’s successes. There’s also that sense of camaraderie, which Damon and Affleck have and is one of the biggest reasons they wanted to reunite to work on The Rip, another 2026 release.
So yes, Affleck and Damon can roast each other over getting in shape for a film or comparing the beards they grow for roles. Fans should remember, however, that at the heart of that ribbing is firm friendship that’s withstood the test of time. Here’s hoping that that bond – and the occasional roasting – will continue for years to come.
Check out Ben Affleck in Animals, which is currently available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Fans can also see Affleck acting alongside Damon in The Rip, which can also be found on the aforementioned streamer.
