Matt Damon

Biography

Matt Damon can be considered a Golden Boy of Hollywood after winning an Oscar for "Good Will Hunting." His class, finesse, and expertise at acting have placed him ahead of the rest. He is the thinking man's actor and one of the most affable stars in Hollywood.

Actor, Screenwriter Matt Damon was born on 8th October 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts. Matt's older brother, Kyle is an artist and sculptor. After the divorce of his parents, Matt then a young boy, moved with his mother and brother from the 'elitist' Boston suburb to a more modest neighborhood in Cambridge.

Matt participated in several local drama productions alongside with his neighbor and close friend Ben Affleck. When Matt was 16 years old, he auditioned for a New York casting agent and this helped him land his very first movie role, a 'blink and miss' appearance as an extra in the cult classic film, "Mystic Pizza" (1988) staring the lovely and talented Julia Roberts.

After graduating from school, Damon joined Harvard University and subsequently appeared in a Turner Network Television (TNT) movie, 'Rising Son' (1990), with Brian Dennehy. After two years, in 1992, Matt landed his first sizeable role, as an obnoxious young WASP in "School Ties."

Hollywood Calling
Soon, Matt landed an important supporting role in "Geronimo: An American Legend" (1993), starring heavy-weights Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall. Matt made his first starring turn in the 1995 TNT movie 'The Good Old Boys,' co-starring Tommy Lee Jones, who also co-wrote and directed the movie. Nevertheless, Damon's breakthrough performance came in the 1996 with the film "Courage Under Fire." He co-starred with Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan in this movie.

Matt struggled for several years. In 1997, Francis Ford Coppola cast Matt as the lead in "The Rainmaker." Based on this news, Matt and Ben Affleck were finally able to strike a major deal with Miramax for the movie "Good Will Hunting," 1997. This movie was the story of a math genius and his tryst in life. Both Damon and Affleck won the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay and put Matt in line for the Best Actor Award.

The success of "Good Will Hunting" propelled the career of Damon into high gear and movies like "Saving Private Ryan," (1998) followed. Matt went on to play the lead Tom Ripley in "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999) in a calculated risk. His role won him the Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.

Other movies that Matt has acted in are "Dogma" (1999), "All the Pretty Horses" (2000), "The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000), "Stuck On You" (2003), "The Bourne Identity" (2002), "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004), "The Departed" (2006) and "The Bourne Ultimatum," slated for release in 2007.

Personal Life & Trivia
During the shooting of Stuck on You in 2003, Matt came in contact with Luciana Bonzan Barroso, a bartender and got married to her in 2005.

Achievements
1998, Oscar Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen - "Good Will Hunting" (1997).
Nominated Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role - "Good Will Hunting" (1997).
Won Silver Berlin Bear Outstanding Single Achievement - "Good Will Hunting" (1997).

Past Projects
The Bourne Ultimatum.... Jason Bourne
Ocean's Thirteen.... Linus Caldwell
The Good Shepherd.... Edward Wilson
The Departed.... Colin Sullivan
Syriana.... Bryan Woodman
The Brothers Grimm.... Wilhelm Grimm
Ocean's Twelve.... Linus Caldwell
The Bourne Supremacy.... Jason Bourne
Stuck on You.... Bob
The Bourne Identity.... Jason Bourne
Ocean's Eleven.... Linus Caldwell
The Legend of Bagger Vance.... Rannulph Junuh
The Talented Mr. Ripley.... Tom Ripley
Dogma.... Loki
Rounders.... Mike McDermott
Saving Private Ryan.... Private James Francis Ryan
Good Will Hunting.... Will Hunting
The Rainmaker.... Rudy Baylor
Courage Under Fire.... Specialist Ilario
School Ties.... Charlie Dillon
Rising Son (TV).... Charlie Robinson
The Good Mother.... Movie Extra
Mystic Pizza.... Movie Extra

Matt Damon was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on October 8, 1970.
Name: Matthew Paige Damon
Date of Birth: October 8th 1970
Height: 5' 10" (1.78 m)

Talent Agency: Endeavor Talent Agency
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