Matt Damon

[00:00] Heat up your 4th of July at the Home Depot with our wide variety of grills under $300 and make every gathering one to remember. Give your outdoor space a glow up, whatever your budget is, with savings on seasonal plants starting at $5. With the grill fired up and your backyard set to perfection, you'll be able to invite friends and family over to kick off the party. Start celebrating with low prices guaranteed at the Home Depot. Prices may vary by store. Exclusions apply. See Home Depot.com slash price match for details. [00:30] . [00:35] Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. I'm very, very excited about our guest today. It is a superstar. [00:41] And that star is Matt Damon. Matt Damon is joining us. Boston's own. So good at so many things. Such a professional. And in the peak of his career in a huge movie. And we're going to talk about a lot of things today. We're going to talk about long-lasting professional relationships and how important they are. We're going to talk about hating pranks but loving a little bit of reality TV. We're going to talk about shooting in caves and working with giant puppets. [01:11] And we're going to talk about The Odyssey, the new film that is out, the giant new film by Christopher Nolan that he is the star of. He plays Odysseus. He's on the journey, babe. But before we get to talking to Matt, we are going to talk to somebody who knows our guest, who wants to speak well behind their back and give me a question to ask them. And we have a great get. We've got a little indie filmmaker named Christopher Nolan. He is on the rise. Keep an eye out for this kid. He's doing great work.

[01:41] you [01:41] We are very, very excited to talk to him. And... [01:45] Let's see if we can get them on Zoom. [01:54] This episode is presented by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking how long that recipe takes before you start cooking? Well, that's how you learn that simmer for four hours is buried halfway down the page. Yeah, checking first is a good idea. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary. Subjects to terms, conditions, and availability, Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, [02:24] Illinois. Hi, Chris. Nice to meet you. [02:37] Nice to meet you. Hey, were you pouring some tea? [02:41] I am. [02:42] I didn't do anything without tea. I also am an excessive tea drinker. What's your brand? Bill Graham. [02:48] Oh, I see. I enjoy a black tea. Who makes your Earl Grey? [02:54] Twinings. [02:55] I see. Have you heard of Barry's tea? [02:58] Yeah. [02:58] But you don't like? I would say that. I don't want to upset the Irish contingent. But every country, every nation has their own particular blend. Twinings works for me. Well, thanks for talking today. I'm very, very excited to talk to Matt. Congratulations on that.

[03:16] Another incredible film. [03:18] Thank you. [03:19] How do you compete with the imagination of people who have worked [03:24] read and studied the Odyssey. It's like you're competing with the idea of the Odyssey in a way. [03:32] I mean, you can't. And I learned this, you know, we all learned this who worked on the Dark Knight trilogy. You couldn't compete with people's idea of... [03:42] that amazing character and the, at the time, 75 years of history behind it. This is 3000 years. Imagining. It's everything's worth. You, so you can't compete with it. Um, [03:55] What we realised... [03:57] addressing character of Batman and I brought very much to the [04:01] the Odyssey is you have to trust that what people want from you is your most sincere attempt to do things. [04:10] justice to the material, to do it with a seriousness and with an appreciation of the original text. But it has to be your own interpretation. Certainly I, as a film builder, respond to that and other people. If I go see a movie and I realize that people have loved this and have really tried to give you an experience and try to put something across in the way that they really believe is great. I think people cut you a lot of slack for that because yes, you cannot compete with people's own imaginings when they read a text. [04:40] that Odysseus makes it home. We need to care about the person trying to, [04:46] to make it home. We need to just feel like they even care about home. And there's something about Matt,

[04:53] As just an actor, I think that's innate. [04:56] in him and able to express that what made you cast him in this film well you know i've gone to nine or ten other people by the time i got that no the truth is i actually don't think about actors when i'm writing i try not to i try to really just just live through the characters and the writing process and then come out the other side and go okay [05:19] how's this going to work? Who are we getting for this? And Matt really immediately popped into my head because I, [05:28] You're looking for this. [05:30] what you're talking about, that kind of empathetic [05:33] ability to draw the audience into a character's dilemma. [05:37] And he has that openness. He brings the audience with him. But he also can project an iconic character. [05:44] frankly, superhero presence. I mean, he's, you know, he's the guy from The Martian, or We Bought a Zoo, and then Good Will Hunting, and then he's Jason Bourne. And, [05:54] to be able to do [05:56] such disparate things and sort of fuse them into a character was exactly what I, what I needed. Um, [06:02] I also worked with Matt twice before, and I knew that the way we wanted to take this on and the [06:07] what was really important to us in making the Odyssey was to try and get out there and, [06:14] Find a way to bring the audience with us, put the audience on the deck of his shit and climb mountains and go into the Cyclops cave with him. So, you know, I needed a partner. I needed somebody who would leave from the front and just dive in and do all this crazy stuff without complaining about it. And he's just he's in such a wonderful place in his life and career. He really appreciates.

[06:38] what he gets to do [06:40] He understands how good he is at it, I think, you know, in a really comfortable way, in a really great way. And he just leads from the front. He gets everybody inspired with him. And I think without that, you know, we would have crashed and burned horribly from back. [06:55] From a practical point of view. You can't have an Odysseus complaining that it's cold or it's late. And, I mean, you put him through the wringer. Put him through the wringer. And what's fun about working with Matt is – [07:08] He's a great writer himself. You can have really, really specific and detailed conversations about the script and about how we're going about things. But he also doesn't talk for the sake of it. He doesn't want to just use user sound and want to hear his own ideas about the character. He sort of goes off and... [07:25] figures out who he is, and then [07:28] brings that to the floor, which is... [07:31] Yeah, really fun to deal with. Well, he has to go rest because he has to work out a thousand, do like 5,000 sit-ups a day. Because you're insisting on making this, let's face it, middle-aged man. Yeah, he's exactly the right place in his time of life and everything to do it. And I actually had a moment with him at his first wardrobe fitting. Because we'd been fitting all of the supporting cast, all the guys who play his crew, and some younger actors and everything. And they'd all come in and they've all got tattoos. [08:01] which is a nightmare for a period film. It means hours and shakers. You have to cover all that up and then put the costume on and then rain and wind and the costume will rub it away at an end.

[08:11] I, you know, and I thought, okay, well, he isn't bad. You know, he takes a shot off the fitting and he's got a fucking tattoo. And I was like, not you as well. Like what? And it was, you know, a very small tasteful tattoo, you know, name of his children and all that, you know, and he said to me, well, [08:27] I thought to be perfectly honest, I thought my bare bicep days were over. And I said, okay, fair enough. The truth is I think they're just beginning, but, you know, so, yeah, a little extra time in the chair. Do you have to physically train to get ready for a film too? I mean, it is exhausting to be directing. Like, do you physically train when you're getting ready to go on set? No, I don't. No, it's actually kind of a natural process of it [08:57] a film like this is you start jumping on planes and getting in vans and driving all over the place and you you go off to scout to find these places and i do that with my design and just the two of us we we go off and and gradually we add people to that group and we make multiple trips but we cover thousands of miles and we're just constantly climbing up hills and you know all that and the first couple trips are bad you know i'm like well not up to this like how and you're doing that [09:27] beautiful, but maybe Odysseus is... Maybe it's something a little close to the hotel. Yeah. Exactly. Well, congratulations. It's such a triumph and everything you make is so incredible. And just what a career you've had. And

[09:43] Um, and I, I asked my, uh, my, my guests a question, um, uh, from someone I speak to beforehand and we talk well behind their back. And then, um, I, I, we ask a question of them and, um, I want to get to that, but, but, but just one last thing before I do, which is your wife, Emma Thomas is so instrumental in the stuff that you make such a bad-ass, so incredibly talented. [10:13] You're a, [10:14] Beautiful union. I'm just thinking right now, I wish I'd also leave the room before I did the interview, because she heard all that. Well, Emma, if you're there. Emma will never hear the end of it. Emma. I mean, just like, hey. Hi. You're such a badass. I'm never going to forgive you for that. Hold me. [10:36] I mean, it's so cool how you guys work together and what you do together and how you work together. I have such great respect for Emma and her work. Well, me too. [10:48] No, that's really a lovely thing to say. That's all. I mean, no question other than how, isn't it great to be married to such a cool lady? It is very great to be married to such a cool lady. It's very great to have such a great producer on the film. So, I mean, you take something like this, it would be... [11:06] really unthinkable without her calm, clear, [11:10] You know. [11:11] We'll get through this. We'll find a way. So that's a sensibility. So thank you for bringing it up. Yeah, of course. So do you have a question you think I should ask, Matt, specifically about the project or about him or anything you want to know about him, big or small, that you don't feel like, you know, there is a question I've tried to ask him for and I've never got a clear answer. So I think you might have better luck.

[11:33] which is [11:34] So Matt, [11:36] as I'm sure you know, but he's a [11:39] Obviously, he's an amazing actor. [11:41] wonderful movie star as well as we talked about uh he's also a great writer [11:46] He's an Academy Award winning writer, as he occasionally reminds me. He disagrees with something in the script. But I'm a fantastic producer, produced, you know, Best Picture nominees, all the rest of the films he wasn't in, you know, everything. And... [12:00] I'm pretty curious, and I haven't got a straight answer from him about this, as to why he hasn't directed. Ooh, great question. It's something he could have chosen to do. He's so knowledgeable. You know, you get on a set with him, he knows more about everything on set than anyone. Well, almost anyone. I'm going to claim a little bit more knowledge of what I want to do on my set. Yeah. [12:23] He's pretty. He's... [12:26] He's pretty in control of every aspect. [12:29] you know, holding in his head. It does what everybody's doing, which is one of the reasons he's such a great collaborator as a, [12:34] as an actor because he's not just looking at his part. He's looking at how what he's doing is advancing the story. And he's very, very cognizant, respectful of all the other things I'm trying to balance in terms of how the scene we're doing interacts with the rest of the narrative. Okay, I'm going to ask him that. And I'm going to say that you said that he would make a great director. I don't know if I actually said that. I was curious as to why he hasn't tried.

[13:04] I think he has such a clear ability to be able to step into that role if he wanted to. So I'm curious. I mean, maybe there's something about him. Have you ever acted? [13:20] I have far too much respect for actors to try and tread on their toes. I know. We always say on the set, everyone should just do everyone's job just for one take. Yes. [13:34] nobody's afraid of being the director they will think it'd be a great kid they have to do it yeah but i think that may that might be the beyonce you get from that it might be that he knows so much about it and he's seen so many people do it uh that he doesn't he doesn't fancy sitting in the hot seat yeah awesome awesome well thank you so much for your time thanks for for your incredible work um [13:56] I'm going to let you get back to your T. I know it's sitting right under frame. And we all know any good director, they've set up the T in the beginning. We need to see that T very soon. This is going to be a big part of the story. Thank you, Emma, if you're still there. [14:12] And really nice talking to you. Thanks, Chris. Pleasure. Nice to meet you. Yeah, you too. Take care. Bye-bye. [14:26] little moments. And in the all new 2026 Subaru hybrid, it's like the destination isn't even important. It's the drive, baby. And let me tell you, I'm in that car and I feel like a million bucks.

[14:38] Quiet ride. [14:40] Comfortable. Love my Subaru. Can't get enough. With up to 581 miles in the Subaru Forester Hybrid, and even more, 597 in the Crosstrek Hybrid, you can go further between stops and stay in the moment longer. Visit Subaru.com slash hybrid to learn more. The Subaru Forester Hybrid and Crosstrek Hybrid. Love goes the extra mile. [15:02] We were just talking about, we just got to see, we got- I'm so happy I have talked to so few people who've seen it. Oh my, I mean, I feel really lucky that we got to see it. Great, great. And it was so great to be able to see it, like- [15:16] Congratulations. Thank you. It is such a huge movie. Yeah, it's by far the biggest thing I've ever been anywhere near. It's going to be big, and it is big, and it's so loud. It's a really loud movie. [15:29] IMAX is intense. Yeah, yeah. IMAX is intense. Yeah, it's incredible. Yeah, the whole experience was like that. It was just awesome. Matt Damon's here, everybody. Sorry. We're jumping into the Odyssey. [15:46] Lucky enough to get to see it. I've been thinking about it a lot. It's one of those things that sticks with you, of course, because it's like in many ways, probably the most famous story ever told. I watched it and it's been... [15:58] swirling around in my head, obviously, because of what it represents. But [16:02] I'm thinking about it as this meditation on aging. Okay. No, no, I hear you, and I agree. Because you and I are the same age. Yeah. It feels like...

[16:12] There's this moment in life now where it's like there's a past and all of the wreckage or... [16:18] whatever joy and love and drama that comes with that and trauma that comes with the past, this like real present that like is really hard. And there's like a lot of people you're taking care of aging parents, kids, and then this version of, of how people think we are or, [16:38] Are we still the version that people think we are? It's a very cool. I've been thinking about it a lot because it's just really hitting me at this age. Does that resonate at all? It definitely does. And that's what I love about this movie and about the script. Like he is a really underrated writer, I think, Chris, because he's such a brilliant director. That kind of overshadows his writing. I've read three of his scripts now because this is the third movie I've done with him. [17:08] so well written and thematically this touches on so much. And why I love hearing that is because [17:15] Because to different people, it's going to mean completely different things. Right. And where you are in your life, where we both are in our lives, like that piece will resonate with us. But for instance, there was a guy who worked on the film named Duff who's a Navy SEAL. Mm-hmm. [17:30] We were on the boat one day out in the middle of, you know, the ocean and sailing back. And he just turned to me and we started talking about the screenplay. And, you know, this is without having seen the movie. And he said, I think this is the most, you know, the best movie about PTSD that I've ever read or seen, you know. So I think it depends on where you are and where you've been. And that's what's so great about The Odyssey is I think that's why it's survived for, you know, 3,000 years.

[18:00] who encounters it, it encounters it at a different place in their life. And it's got some resonance for them. I ask this to people my age, because I've found this life, life is getting better. And it certainly feels, I mean, from the outside, not knowing your life, it feels like you've been able to just keep making more stuff that you enjoy and like just growing as an artist and all that stuff. What is great about being our age? I think, honestly, I think that, I think that, look, the business we're in is tough. [18:30] I think, you know, the first time we met and worked together, we were probably in our late twenties, early thirties and you don't know how things are going to work out. You don't, you know, there's so much up in the air and, and, um, and there's a lot of pressure and, you know, there's a lot you want to do. There's a lot you feel like you have to say. Everything feels ahead of you. That's right. Yeah. And, and then I think the place we're at now, or at least speaking for myself is a place, there's a greater sense of calm. Yeah. I think. Yeah. [19:00] and I started a company together a few years ago. It was partly because we were like, what are we doing? Like, this is the most joyful, like our dream, like that we had when we were kids, literally children together, you know, teenagers. What, you met what, 10 and 8 or something? 10 and 8. But then we really were bizarre kids who were serious about acting and we were in the union, you know, and at 16 and 14 years old, we were going to New York together to audition for stuff.

[19:30] you know, founded on quite a bit of common experience, but that was central to it and, and very unique to the two of us. And, and, [19:40] And here we are 40 years later and it's like – [19:44] we should make every single movie we can together. You know what I mean? Because it's an unusual, you said this before that you're really good at partnerships. Like, and feels like Chris is another one, like, you know, that way you're like, I'm really good at picking people who can be partners in my life. And the fact that you guys still work together this many years later and that you love working together, it's, it's unusual. It's just like, it's like, what do you like about working with them? I think for us, um, [20:11] we've experienced so much of life together. [20:15] You know, it's not a it's not a friendship that could ever be replicated just because we grew up together. Yeah. And which which meant we were together all the time. You know, we. [20:28] you know, writing a screenplay together, um, [20:31] And I think working together is – one of the great things about writing with him was always – [20:38] And the fact that there was a deep and abiding love and respect underneath everything that was never in question. Yeah. It's very helpful. Yeah. And when you're working creatively because you're not worried about their feelings. And I mean, I imagine you guys have a pretty quick shorthand about what works is nothing. Nothing is taken that personally when you're creating something. It's just it's just the allegiances to the thing that we're making. Yeah. And we're trying to get there as quickly as we can and as efficiently as we can.

[21:08] Like you can get hung up on an idea sometimes, you know, as a writer and, and, and dig in and, and sometimes you can be wrong. And if you have somebody that you trust that much, um, um, [21:19] They'll also they'll also hear you out. Yeah. They're humble enough to know they might be wrong, too. So it's just a very easy experience. And it also ends up being just really fun because you're doing it with, you know, for me, it's like this, you know, my closest friend for 40 years, 45 years. It's like, yeah, who else would I want to hang out with and do? Yeah. Tina and I went on tour this year. [21:49] together. Like we don't, we don't care about the same thing. Like we don't like what, [21:55] We have similar things that we don't stress about. Right. And then things that we're like, this is really important. We have to get this right. Right. There's a theory that the age you meet people like you were 10, Ben's eight. I'll compare. I'm going to compare you guys to the Beatles. So get ready. It's coming from you, not me. Paul McCartney. No, you said I had to. You squeezed my arm when you came in. You had one note that came before me. I got slipped. And he said, you call me Paul McCartney before this interview is over. But no, but like it was [22:25] years older than George Harrison and they always had an older brother, younger brother dynamic just because they were two years apart. Do you guys have an older brother, younger brother dynamic? No. Like same age dynamic. No. And in fact, Ben is an older brother and I'm a younger brother, even though I'm older than him. So, so I'm sure we fall. And I, and I've noticed that, you know, my, my wife is also an older sibling and there's something about that. And I think that makes it

[22:55] I had one, you know, my big brother and he was like a god. And it was just, I just had to follow him around. My mom, you know, she worked. She was like, my brother joined the YWCA swim team because his girlfriend was on the YWCA swim team. So I had to join the YWCA swim team. You know, it doesn't matter. Like I could swim okay. I didn't love it. But, you know, I was on the swim team. [23:19] And so I think so. But it never occurred to me that I could protest. Right. You know what I mean? Right. [23:25] an older sibling is questioning everything because they're the ones who are kind of trailblazing and they're kind of responsible. Yeah. You can tell an older sibling right away. Yeah, for sure. You really can. And they're also like translating life [23:38] to other siblings, even though they're, they could be like 12 months older than you. And they're like, here's how it goes. Yeah. Yeah. Here's the thing about this. But, but you brought up your mom. I, my mom is a teacher. Both my parents are teachers growing up. Your mom is an educator, author, like academic. You guys grew up in Boston, as we know, famously. Yeah. [23:56] I also did. Sometimes you do feel like you got out and people are like, Oh, good for you for getting out, you know? And sometimes they're like, [24:06] I, I'm, I'm still, you know, here. And you're like, that's great. I have no judgment about that. That's fantastic. Your life is great. And sometimes they have a feeling about it. Well, Krasinski had this, has this great character called bitter Boston guy. And he, and he was, he leaves occasionally voicemails and they are just, I mean, but it's like, no, good for you. Yeah. Good for you. No, I know. I'm sure you're real busy, Amy, you know, with your big life and everything. And I, from what I understand, you're bi-coastal

[24:36] but to New York and I get it, you know, and it's just, and it's one of those and they go, it goes on and on for like five minutes and I'm just crying by the end of these things. You know, I said to myself, if I go up there and talk to her, she's not going to talk to me. She probably won't remember me. She won't remember me, but I remember you. I remember you and good for you. Um, and then lastly, on behalf of all Bostonians, I'm sure you've talked about this a lot too, but I don't think I know on behalf of all of us, where were you when we won in 2004 on the Red Sox one? [25:06] I was making a movie called Syriana and that was shooting at the time in Dubai. And I was watching all the Yankee games. In fact, I was in Geneva during when we clinched against the Yankees and I was supposed to work the following week in Dubai. And George Clooney, thank God, was a producer on the movie. And I called him immediately and he said, I already redid the entire schedule. You can go home. No way. So I came back. [25:36] And at JFK, I was living in New York. I landed at JFK. The game was just starting. I made it to my apartment by like the second or third inning. And we won that game. Yep. You know, obviously we won all four. But once we won that game, I knew that I had to watch every single moment on that couch by myself because that was the lucky way to do it. Oh, you watched it by yourself? Absolutely. I was just like, well, I didn't want to jinx anything. Yeah, yeah. We used to scream at my mom to leave the room. She walked into the room. She couldn't. She was holding the laundry.

[26:06] the whole time. Totally. Yeah. And I do feel like something psychically changed for all of us when that happened. Like, I know it did for my family. My, my dad, like was, it felt like a release of a, a long awaited something. It felt like the Odyssey. [26:22] This can't be true, but it is. Wait a minute. Is the Odyssey about that? Wait a minute. [26:29] What did your mom think about you not finishing Harvard? [26:32] Uh, by then, I mean, I was working. They were really close to finishing. I was, I was. In fact, I, I, I probably, I probably did five years of classes there because I would go. And then there was one semester, the last semester I left, I was two weeks away. [26:49] from the end of the semester. So I'd done everything. All I had to do was take the finals. But the rule was at the time, at least you had to take your finals at the exact moment they were offered in Cambridge. Right. And I was like, I'm number five on the call sheet. You think I'm going to shut a movie down for three hours, four different times? Like I just had to eat the semester. Do you ever have a fantasy about going back? I think I used to, like there was a, but I, but I also, you know, I was an English major and, and in fact, I started [27:19] I just had wonderful professors and, and, and that professor really encouraged me to keep going with it. I didn't know what, I'd never tried to do that. And, and, and in fact, I, I, I wrote, we were supposed to write a one act play and I wrote, I wrote the first act of a three act movie. And, but at that point I'd already been leaving and going, you know, I mean, I was kind of out in the world working, so I wasn't like sweating grades the way I was kind of in the, I was,

[27:49] really in school for myself at that point. And I, and I went to the, to the guy and I said, I, I think I failed your class. I like, but this is the first act of a movie. And, and, and he read it and he gave me a straight A and he just said, don't stop, keep going. Like he gave me all this encouragement. And that was when I just took it out and showed it to Ben. [28:07] It's so cool because you can also tell that respect you have for teachers in the film. Like it's in Good Will Hunting. Yeah. [28:15] We grew up around educators and like we're saying the obvious, but it is still wild how people can remember the teacher. Oh, my God. The three teachers. I have multiple teachers. Me too. That were like, you're doing good. Hang in there. Just that those like. [28:31] positive reinforcements about anything you were doing. Yeah. So, okay, you guys moved to Hollywood. Congratulations. You win an Academy Award. You do Good Will Hunting, everybody's favorite movie. Give the best of each ever. You bring your mom's. [28:43] It's incredible. And we didn't have a choice. [28:50] But from that moment, like where, you know, you've been working to your point to what you were saying, you've been working for a long time. We know you then we meet you then. And I'm the same age as you. I'm watching you like be my age, like entering into some system and you're from Boston. And it's like, oh, OK, we don't have to live near the game to be in the game, basically.

[29:13] when you're young, we've talked about, you're like, I want to do this and this. And then you start getting these things. Then like, so then what is your relation to, are you tired? That's a long question to ask, but I'm personally asking for myself. Sometimes. I mean, yeah, but, but I think that's, that's where this, I feel like, [29:33] And for both, uh, [29:36] Ben and me, that we are at the same time kind of stepped into this new phase of life and really felt it. Yeah. What is that new phase? That we just want to work on. It's about really the pursuit of joy in our lives and in our work. And like this movie, I never would have, I think 20 years ago, I would have bitched a lot about, you know, I don't think. That actually hits home. [30:06] um, [30:06] The physical discomfort in making this movie that everybody, everybody had to go through, the entire crew. So the experience of doing this movie, though it was the hardest movie that I've ever done by far, was so joyful. Yeah. That's amazing. And also it felt more like an expedition than a movie because of how we made it. And to know that every single person around you was amazing. [30:32] was weathering those same difficulties and pushing themselves. Like it's just this feeling of, you know, of being a part of that. [30:40] that [30:41] team of people was just, it was, it just, it, it, it, it was, it was one of the best feelings I've ever had. That's very cool. I mean, you're making me think of that like Sanskrit idea that life is what you say it is basically. Right. So you can be like, this is the worst, this is the hardest thing. And this is the, or you can be like, this is the most incredible opportunity I'm getting to do. Yeah. And I definitely, from the moment Chris gave me the part, I felt, I felt that because first of all, he, he,

[31:10] First of all, it's one of the great roles of all time. Yeah. And he was going to make this thing at the scale that it deserved to be made. And pretty practical, right? All practical. [31:25] He's going to make it the way David Lean would have made it. Right. The way somebody would have made it 80 years ago. For people that are going to see it, and you guys can tell us if it's too spoily and we'll cut it, but there's scenes where Cyclops is... [31:38] You're meeting Cyclops, who, by the way, I was proud of myself. I was like, is that Bill Irwin? You got him right away. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's amazing. He's amazing. Rachel getting married. Yeah. Amazing. And. [31:48] Um, and I was like, Oh my God, is that Bill Irwin's face? That I find out is a giant puppet. Yeah. What the fuck? That is wild. It's wild. It's really wild when you realize we shot it in an actual cave. And so there's no soundstage. That's wild. So we, we would hike to this cave and it was called Zeus's cave. They say it's where Zeus was born and we would hike up to this cave, um, and [32:14] And the rigging that the guys did in this cave, they basically turned it into a soundstage almost. Yeah, right. Like there were – I mean it was just – the amount of work that went into doing this was like – And I bet you shot at places that no one had ever been allowed in and like – Or that nobody would be crazy enough to try to shoot in was what it really was. Like honestly, every time I would show up and I would start laughing, I would be looking like, you've got to be kidding me. You're like, we're going up there. Yeah, that's where – Yeah.

[32:44] what are we shooting? Well, we're not shooting anything till we get up there. Cause that's where everything is. So that's wild. So that part of it was, that's what I mean about an expedition. And it was, and we were all in it together. We'll hike up the mountain and, and, and, and in that, in that cave that was, you know, Chris was like, no, 60 foot puppet. And so, so basically he does as little special effects as humanly possible, which means you can do quite a bit without, [33:14] he understands what year he lives in and he has the absolute best special effects teams. Yeah. They really help, you know, try to figure out how we can do everything. [33:23] everything, almost everything. [33:24] Just about everything in camera. [33:32] Much like I compared you to Paul McCartney, I'm going to compare the Odyssey to SNL. But SNL is like SNL. That's another thing that I told you. But but similarly, you. [33:48] There's few places left that's like, we have a show tonight and you know, cause you've done it hosted many times and you're like, everyone's just, it's like comedy emergency room. Everyone's doing the best version that they can do in a time that they have. And therefore everything feels really human. It's very cool that way. Like things feel practical and tactile and stuff. And you've done the show a bunch of times. I don't know if you remember the first time you hosted, I think it was like 2002. I was like my second year there.

[34:17] I have a great picture of us, me and Dratch, and you have your arms around us. We look like 10 years old. We look like babies. Such babies. And we're all like, the whole world is... But it was... [34:26] I remember just starting when you came and I remember that exact feeling like, holy shit, look at all these talented people trying to make something like real and human, basically. What was it like to what is it like to do that show? Do you like doing it? I still remember. I love doing it. Yeah. And and I that first time, the reason I did it, Patrick, my agent, called me and said, you're hosting Saturday Night Live. And I said, oh, OK. [34:56] Springsteen's the musical guest. We're going to get to hear two songs from Bruce. So I was like, oh yeah, we're huge fans of Bruce Springsteen. So, uh, so that was really why I did it. And, um, and, and I remember going on the, on the Monday night for the, you know, the little pitch in Lauren's office and everybody pitches these ideas. And then everybody went, um, but let's go to a bar. And I was like, guys, we have a 90 minutes to do by Saturday. Like, well, how are you people [35:26] Like, I couldn't. There's, like, a push where people have to, like, force people. [35:31] force panic almost to get anything creatively done. I was fully panicked on Monday, but then Tuesday night was the night everyone and I stayed up [35:41] They were like, you're welcome to stay as long as you want. I stayed up overnight till like five in the morning, popping into different rooms and writing with people and, you know, and, and love that part of it. And then, and then from the read through on Wednesday, it's just, you're just shot out of a cannon. Yeah. You're, it's done in five minutes. Yeah. Yeah. And the minute you're done, you're like, okay, I got it. Let's do it again. And it's over. Yeah. And the rush that you get is incredible. Yeah. I actually, we were looking up some stuff cause I was like, what did I do with Matt? And there's a sketch that I do not remember. What was it?

[36:10] And I want to watch it with you. There's a better chance I'll remember it because I've done some. You might remember it, but I have zero memory of it. You played a doctor? I saw it and I was like, no idea what the joke is. Sorry, I got to get my commercials on YouTube. Is this the one where Parnell, where we're on it, where it's everybody's name, Matt Damon? Is that the thing? Maybe that's it. It sounds like that's it. All I know is, okay, here we go. [36:40] That's amazing. That's really amazing. Harrensie, the Iceman. [36:49] Oh, yeah, they're Dr. Matt Damon, the chief of oncology. Okay, so he's a doctor. Matt Damon. Matt Damon. That's the whole joke. It's amazing. You have no idea what it's been like for me. And that's not true. Your identity is not about your name, man. It's about who you are, what you do. [37:06] Okay, that's easy for you to say, Matt Damon. [37:11] Oh my God, are you Matt Damon? Yeah, I'm a cube. This is so weird. My name is Pat Damon. [37:20] Okay, now we're heightening. We're two minutes in. We should always get married. And now we'll do the introduction. Hey, you do remember this. Pat Damon, Matt Damon, Matt Damon, Matt Damon. [37:30] So stupid. [37:34] Oh my God, that's so good. [37:36] It's just, it's totally ridiculous. I haven't seen, that's really funny. I did not remember. I mean, it is, I remember because I probably, I think I've hosted the show three times and I've, and I've come on and done guest spots, but that means I've probably done less than 20 sketches in my life. So I think I probably remember all of them. You would think you will, but.

[37:55] I mean, it's so done. And then at the end, I think someone comes out and is Dr. Julius Irving. I think that's the part. I forget how it happens, but it's like Matt Damon, Matt Damon, Pat Damon, Matt Damon, Pat Damon, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Dr. Julius Irving. I don't think it played that well. I thought it was funny. I know, but it's a good example of like, you know, there are hosts who like, you know, [38:22] especially in your first time, you don't really know the power you have. You know, no one really tells you the power that you have where you can be like, I don't want to do that. But yeah, [38:31] There are hosts that are like, I like to pick the funny stuff. And then there are hosts that are like, I want to pick the stuff that I'm in a lot or that, you know, like, and that's a real ensemble-y sketch. You don't get to do much in that. Well, I said that I, but I always say to Lauren, like, just, I want the best show. Like, I just, you know, this last one, I think we cut five sketches after dress and, you know, that I was like in heavily. And I was like, whatever makes it, you know, you're also, you've got a younger cast and it's like, they're trying to like establish themselves. And like, all right, if you've got something for them to do that, you know what I mean? [39:01] Like you all have to do this next week, you know? Yeah, but a lot of people don't really take that in. Like, and I don't even necessarily mean it's a bad thing. They're just like focusing on other things. Like you have this ability, you always have, I think, to... [39:16] pay attention to like the, [39:20] environment that you're in, what other people need. I mean, I think it's what makes you such a good producer. I think it's what makes you such a good collaborator. Like that isn't always people's process. They just don't know how to take all that in. Yeah. I guess I always just defaulted to the...

[39:36] The better the thing is you're making, the better for everybody. Yeah. Very true. And I really do think that way about movies, too. I don't always take the best role. You know what I mean? I want to be in a good movie. You've been in so many good movies. Yeah. Goddamn. I mean, that's interesting you say that because, like, even in Interstellar, that role that you take is a really surprising role to take with. Yeah. Chris undersold it to me, actually. [40:06] from him and he, and he, I guess like trying to manage my expectations said, you know how they say there are no small parts, only small actors. And I said, yeah. And he goes, this is a small part. Okay. But I read it and I was like, no, this is a terrific part. Like it's a really great, I mean, it's, it's not, it's not big, but it's a, it's a really good part. Um, and so, uh, yeah, it's always about, uh, if, if there's something I feel like, you know, [40:36] It doesn't have to be the biggest thing. Yeah. I mean, you got into work with so many amazing people. If it's okay, I want to just ask you about a few because some of them we talk about here a lot and some I had the pleasure to either meet or work with and I like love talking about them. Yeah. And you've talked about him a lot, but can – [40:51] Can we just talk about Robin for a second? Because I had the experience, as I'm sure you did, of feeling like I got to watch him [41:02] use his gift to make young people feel

[41:08] like they had some kind of future and whatever they were doing. That was basically he, he would come Robin Williams would come and improvise at UCB and like, [41:17] jump in, uh, the theater, the improv theater that, um, I was a part of and he would just show up. I mean, people would lose their minds. He would show up and he'd talk to 20, all of us 20 year olds. Like we were like smart and funny and like change our lives. What was he like? What was it like to work with him when you were so young? Yeah. He was like that generous. Like that was just his, that's just who he was. Yeah. It's just like overflowing with generosity. Yeah. Like as a, [41:47] do scenes with. And obviously this was something that we'd written. We'd had, we'd been holding onto this thing for five years and how seriously he took it, how prepared he was. Interestingly, he was very, he did a lot of takes. [41:59] Mm hmm. At his. What did he feel like he didn't have it? Like, would he want more because he wasn't quite sure? Yeah. And I remember Terry Gilliam telling me, like, Terry Gilliam gave him after they did The Fisher King and Robin's brilliant in that movie. Amazing. And Terry gave him a report card at the end. And it was and it had all these different things like creativity, you know, energy, all this stuff. You know, hey, hey, hey, late night phone calls, F, because Robin would get home and he would call and he was a ruminator.

[42:29] And did another pickup of a thing and we shot it 15 times already. Yeah. And Ben and I knew we had it. Gus knew we had it. Yeah. And he just and I think that's might be the comedy background where it's like, I'm going to refine this joke. Yeah. There's always a joke. There's always something that I can grab in there. Yeah. And yeah. [42:49] And he and he had this this like, you know, and he was like indefatigable, like the guy just had so much energy. And so we went over budget in film. I remember every day at lunch we would send out to Kodak. They'd come back with more film because we were burning through a lot of film really just for him to feel like we got it. Yeah. You know, I mean, Ben and I knew. Yeah. I mean, even like the last line of the movie that was not written. [43:19] to come out and read a letter and, and, and, and it was just supposed, the camera was supposed to sit on him for as long as he wanted, as he thought about this boy's driving out of town and he's on his way, you know, he's going to go see about the girl. And, and. [43:33] And Robin, we left the camera rolling and we were shooting up at him. And I was right next to the camera because every time he came out, when he opened up the letter, I said it so that he could hear my voice. And so Gus and I, the director, were standing by camera. And I'm standing by camera. Yeah. [43:53] And he wasn't meant to look at me, but just so he could hear me. And he must have done 15... [43:59] takes and he'd put the envelope back and he put it back in the mailbox and then he'd go in and we'd still be rolling and then he'd come back out. And he did, you know,

[44:07] a few... [44:09] without saying anything. And then he just started [44:12] improvising lines. And unlike the ninth line, [44:16] He opened the door and he looked and he read the letter and he said, son of a bitch, he stole my line. [44:21] And I grabbed Gus. Like, I mean, it's like, you know, when you get a piece of dialogue falls from heaven, you know, and you just know. Yeah. And but Robin went back in and he did it five, six more times. He came back. And I remember Ben wasn't on set that day for some reason. Or maybe he couldn't fit up where we were. And so he was back. And I just couldn't couldn't get to him fast enough to tell him you're not going to fucking believe what he said. Listen. And Ben, the second he heard it, like, that's it. Yeah. We knew like that's the but but Robin. [44:52] ... [44:52] It must have known because it came out of him. Mm-hmm. [44:56] But like when that line comes out of me, if ever I'm lucky enough to come up with something on the spot that just comes out in the moment and it works, I know it. And now I'm now I'm a dog with a bone. You know what I mean? I'm not going to go start. That is the thing I love about improv. I have to say is it's like so many ideas are flung around and they're a lot of them are jewels and they're just thrown for free. Yeah. Like it's like here's 10 more. Yeah. And you're like, whoa, whoa. These are like let me pick these up. Like each one could be interesting. [45:26] improviser, it's like, I have a million of these. Right. Like these, these are, these are never going to go away. That's what, see, I, when I wrote, I wrote a movie that not many people saw called promise land with John Krasinski and John and I joke about it because John's like Ben, he's got a supercomputer on board. His, he goes really fast and I'm much more, I don't know. I got a, I got a Commodore 56 or whatever. So my processing chip isn't, isn't quite as fast. And so John would, would, would,

[45:54] would throw out a line of dialogue. We'd be sitting in the kitchen writing and he'd throw out a line of dialogue. [46:00] And [46:01] My face would do something like this. [46:04] And John would read that as he hates it. And then he'd give me another one and then another. And then now he's giving me five lines of dialogue. And I'm and I just go, I'm like, stop. Right. Right. I'm still on the first one, John. I think the first one's really good. Now I got to think about all these other ones because I think they're really good, too. [46:34] Swiss watch. And that's why I think sometimes it's always like, I mean, it's interesting to watch people be able to be okay with that speed and stillness. It's what film actors do so well, is they allow things to just stay. And when you're coming up in like, [46:49] from a comedy perspective, like speed is where you get your self-esteem to everything. And you just have to sometimes just like, [46:57] stop. You just have to just [46:59] Stop. [47:01] With that in mind, what was it like to work with Phil Hoffman, who [47:04] Like, what an incredible actor. What was it like to be, because your character is really, you have to square off with him in this way that is... [47:15] I mean, he's so intimidating. He's so good in that movie. He's so good. I mean, he's good. He was great in everything. But holy shit, he's good in that movie. Talk about a role where you come in and, I mean, he, that scene, the scene where he comes back, where I kill him in Townsend, Mr. Ripley. Spoiler alert.

[47:33] Odyssey, it's a long trip. He, I loved him because he, you know, we'd rehearse. There was a whole month of rehearsal and we got to know each other and, yeah. [47:44] And, uh, [47:45] But I hated him so much that day. Yeah. You know what I mean? And he, but because that's how he, it's like, he like, [47:53] Built the energy for that scene. It was like. [47:56] Like, [47:57] like a fucking Marvel superhero coming out of him and, and sucked me right into it. [48:03] And we had this day of working where, and we liked each other. Yeah. You know what I mean? But that was not, that wasn't in the room. And, um, [48:12] And I just remember it's that I've said I say it all the time because it really is the truth. When when when you're working with a great actor, they're great enough for both of you. [48:23] And it's like just... [48:27] Just paddle into the wave and stand up and that's it. And you just get transported. And that was what he was. I mean, he was just... [48:36] Phenomenal. Phenomenal. Yeah. He's, he's, he's incredible. And his theater company was great. I used to go and see them. Did you ever do anything like, did you do a lot of theater in New York when you were? No, no, I was working already. And I had the last play I did. In fact, Phil was there. We, we did. He, he, [48:54] I think he was doing Jesus Hopped the A-Train or he was directing it. I can't remember, but we were all over. And then Gwyneth was doing Proof. And Casey Affleck and I were, and Summer were doing This Is Our Youth. And we were all in the West End in the same summer. And none of us saw each other's plays because we were on the same schedule. But we were all, it was like the Ripley reunion kind of, right? And I think Jude was like doing something that summer too, but we were all. Do you ever get a, I'm sure you get offered all the time. Do you ever want to do something on Broadway? I've thought a lot about it.

[49:24] But until my youngest is a freshman, and once she's out of the nest, I would definitely do it. It's just not a great schedule for parenting. It's a crazy schedule. All the SNL ladies are on Broadway this summer. Like, they're all Dratch is in Rocky Horror, and Anna's in Schmigadoon, and Amaya's doing O'Meary right now. I'm, like, watching them all do it. And we've had a bunch of Broadway actors on here. [49:54] day every day, sometimes twice a day. [49:56] It's brutal. Yeah. So hard. And I remember even if this is 20 something years ago, [50:00] doing that play. And I love that play. And I love Kenny Lonergan. Um, [50:05] But this elation coming off stage when things went, when it was like, oh, my God, that was something. And then that would last like five minutes. And then I'd go, I have to do this twice tomorrow. And I remember thinking, why didn't someone just film that? [50:21] You guys are making this so unnecessarily difficult. We can be in the can. We can be done. We can be in Toronto. We can show in Toronto. We should be at the festival. What's happening? [50:33] Yeah. [50:35] You know, Cheadle is doing Proof right now. Yeah, that's right. I just saw that, and he's fantastic. How fun were those Oceans movies, by the way, speaking of Cheadle? That looks like, I mean, what a boondog. Not fun for Steven Soderbergh. Yeah, he was the one that had to make them. And you guys were, like, having cappuccino, and he was like, can we roll? I mean, God, they look so fun. They look so fun. They were really fun, and it was just a wonderful group of people. And the group changed.

[51:05] People were married. People had babies. We were loaning diapers to each other. You know what I mean? It was just a nice kind of run of life for us. You mentioned Clooney. We have a fun thing with, I don't know if you remember us and Clooney and you, because what a Hollywood thing. I just said, we have a fun thing, me, you, and Clooney. I know. But when we poked fun at him at the Golden Globes, he's got a great, as do you, great sense of humor about himself. [51:32] Do you know this, that he made stationery? [51:35] Yeah. Okay. So. Not the first time he's done this. And by the way, and I've told, I've said this to his face. I'm not talking behind his back. I don't like pranks. I don't fuck with pranks. I'm not a prank guy either. I don't like it. I don't. It makes me stressed. He loves them enough for all of us. He does. Yeah. He loves them. And I'm like, don't do your weird pranks on me. And he's like, oh, okay. And anyway, Tina and I hosted the Golden Globes. We made a joke that now that you were in TV, you're basically a garbage person because you weren't there for just TV. Right. You weren't in the movie section anymore. [52:05] And you, of course, laughed and played along with it. George Clooney made stationary pretending he was you and sent us like a strongly worded letter saying that really hurt our feelings. Really, really hurt my feelings. Now, did he tell you he was going to do it? Okay, got it. No, the way I found out, and by the way, the only reason I found out was because you guys sent me some like fruit basket or something. And I was like, I was so bewildered. We were like, we think this is a prank. That's right. Yeah, you were on it.

[52:35] Right. Just in case it's not, it's a real fruit basket. But, and then I called one, I think I called Tina. I was like, what the fuck? Cause she lived right down the street from me at that time. We were, I was on the Upper West Side and, uh, and then we, you know, we put it together pretty quickly. Yeah. I was calling these doings, but, um, but, but yeah, I guess Soderbergh is the one that has to make that. What? What? [52:55] It was such a well-crafted movie. That's him. I mean, I've done, I think, 10 movies with Stephen. You've worked with Stephen. Yeah, yeah. I will do the phone book with Stephen Soderbergh. I absolutely love working with him. What do you love about working with him? Well, he's just – he's – [53:14] It's like he sees the matrix. Yeah. Like, really. I mean, by the time... So when we did Behind the Candelabra in 2012... So good. But Stephen Wood... [53:26] I'd get to work. We'd shoot a scene. I'd go home at like five o'clock because Stephen operates the camera, is the editor, is the cinematographer and the director. And... [53:41] I'd go home and the kids were little and, you know, we'd bathe them. We'd we'd give them dinner, read them a story, put them to sleep. I'd come downstairs by like eight, seven thirty or eight o'clock. [53:51] And on my iPad, there was a new delivery and I'd open it up and it was the scene we shot that day. [53:58] fully scored as it was going to appear in the movie when it came out nine months later. Holy shit. Yeah. So for Michael and me to, you know, you're, you're, you're playing this relationship, which is this kind of dysfunctional relationship, a kind of descent into like drugs and, you know, and it, and it unfolds over time. And so to, to, to calibrate the performance is difficult.

[54:20] But not when you can watch. Yeah. Well, here's the next year. Here's the scene that's going to happen after this. And here's the scene that just happened before this. I know. And then it's even like, all right, I'm starting on Michael's face. And you know exactly where you are at all times. That feels really comforting. It's unbelievable. It's like and I always say that the only excuse an actor has and it's a legitimate excuse if you suck in a movie is I didn't know what movie I was in. [54:45] Yeah, that's a totally fair. Like if the director just couldn't communicate the tone and didn't, you know, couldn't. It's very easy to to be in the wrong movie. Here's another Soderbergh story. Like I did this movie with him, The Informant. Great. And yeah, I love that one. And and and we shot a scene where my character had to apologize to the entire town. Basically, he stood up in court and we had we had the we had the. [55:14] the transcript of what he said. And those were my lines. And so we're in Illinois, I think it was Springfield, Illinois, in the courthouse he was actually in. And the entire cast is there because they're all sitting in the gallery. And they're the people that I need to apologize to. And so I stand up and I start this apology and I get legitimately [55:44] And Steven's kind of shooting a wide shot on the other side. And I hear cut. And he walks over. And I'm sitting at the defense table. And he kind of comes up and he goes, no.

[55:56] And I'm like, no? So fuck you, no. I go, that shit just happened, man. That was real. He goes, yeah, yeah, no, no. You're in the wrong movie. [56:05] And I went, oh, OK, get me in the right movie. [56:08] And he sits there and he thinks for a second and he goes, [56:11] Do it like an awards acceptance speech. Oh, incredible direction. [56:16] Yeah, because it was like, yeah, this guy, this was this guy's movie. It wasn't I I'm I'm admitting it was everyone's here for me. Yes, that's right. This is incredible. This is like, wow. Yeah, right. And I think that's what I said. Like, wow. [56:30] Yeah. And it's like so interesting. Now, both scenes in a vacuum. [56:35] Also, like, you know, it makes sense that like I had a real emotion, like I really felt something. Isn't that what I'm supposed to be doing? It's connected to the part of me. This is that's how this is supposed to go. Oh, yeah. But not if you're in the wrong movie. OK. And so Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey, we're talking about it. You're back with him again. You've made three films with him. [56:54] So we do this thing where we talk to somebody before our guest comes in and talk well behind their back. And I got to talk to Christopher. And I was a little intimidated, to be honest. He's very intimidating. [57:08] Wore a suit. [57:09] Dry tea. [57:11] Um, [57:12] And is... [57:14] So good at directing and just such a formidable artist and like really such a, like, [57:24] the director of this decade in so many ways. And you know this because you've worked with him so many times, but he's asking a lot of you. And you just said earlier, like, that's the part that you're realizing, oh, I'm not going to complain about this. I'm actually going to, I'm going to decide that this is going to be the most fulfilling, incredible experience, but it is still a physical experience. Like it still means that you have to get

[57:47] in probably the best shape of your life. And as a person, [57:52] of similar age, it's like, it's, it's one thing running and punching in, in born in your thirties. It's way different. [57:59] to be getting jacked in your 50s. It's really hard. [58:03] It was a it's just a complete, complete lifestyle change. Right. So everything goes away. There's no planning it like I in any other time I tried to do something like that. It was always like, well, my time, my workouts and my thing. And this was like, no, no, just everything. [58:20] Yeah. Just put your foot on the gas and that's it. And that's the only way to do it. Yeah. And eat a little less. But no, like no gluten. [58:31] No, no gluten, which changed my life. Are you still no gluten? Still no gluten. [58:35] You don't have any desire for it anymore? Because of what it does to me. Yeah. Like I didn't realize the level to which I didn't know. Well, it's funny you say that because I feel like our generation, like a lot of food allergies and stuff or whatever or sensitivities, we didn't really have that. Like we didn't talk about that. We didn't talk about it. And I didn't realize the level to which it was affecting me and affecting my life. Like it's completely changed my life these last couple of years of not eating it. [59:05] bummer. Yeah. Like I'm, I'm a big fan of bread, but, and beer and you know what I mean? Like I, so I, you know, pasta and pizza and all that stuff, but, but how I feel is just so much better. Yeah. Incredible. Okay. And then, um, uh,

[59:23] Sleep? What's your sleep situation? Do you... [59:25] Do you sleep? Yeah. I mean, we love to sleep. I do. Teenagers in the house. But, you know, like once you had kids, did you ever sleep well again? [59:33] No, like all the way. It wasn't until they got older. Like it was this huge stretch where I didn't sleep for. I felt like for like 10 years. Yeah, I feel like I've been a lighter sleeper. But on this on this movie, there was we like me and the PAs. We had this kind of joke called the Odyssey five. If you could get five hours like you were thrilled. [59:54] Um, that's tough. Yeah. That's not a lot of sleep. It's not a lot of sleep, but it was enough. [1:00:00] Yeah, it was enough. I get it. But I did realize that five is the cutoff because there were some four nights. There were some no nights. I had two nights where I did not sleep. Because you were working? No, because I got home and I was like overly tired. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You missed the window. I was just sitting there and I missed the window and now I'm panicking because... And you're like, tomorrow I literally have to like lift a rock through the mud. Yeah. Like every day. I have to do sprints tomorrow. Hardest day! All day, yeah, yeah. It seems like so hard. [1:00:30] It was hard. It was hard for everybody, though. Yes, of course. That's what made it. That's what made it. [1:00:34] It's wonderful. It's funny you talk about other departments because Chris's question for you had a question for you, which is basically like, why haven't you directed? [1:00:45] He said, and I quote, [1:00:48] Um, [1:00:49] you would be an amazing director. You'd probably be better than me.

[1:00:55] He lies in interviews. That's his, that's his, that's a lovely thing to say. That's not true, but it's a very lovely thing to say. I almost directed a couple of things. I almost directed that movie, Promised Land in 2012, but I ran long on another movie and, and I, I would have had to come down home, put my bags down and leave again. Yeah. And so I, um, [1:01:18] I, I, I bowed out and then called Gus Van Sant, who then stepped in and directed it. So, um, yeah. [1:01:25] So as a producer, I made the movie better. [1:01:30] And then another movie that John Krasinski and I commissioned Kenny to write Manchester by the Sea. And I was going to direct it. And then as the script, as it started to come in, I was like, Kenny, this you got to do it. And I was going to play the part. And we were about to start shooting. But like we were behind. We couldn't get the production office open. We were like five weeks out. And I called Kenny and I was like, I'm putting you in a position to fail here. [1:01:55] Like, let's take a breath. And I didn't have anything for two years. Or I'm sorry, I had worked for two years and Kenny was ready to go. And I was like, all right, the only person I'm giving this role to is Casey. Because we'd all done the play together in London and we're all friends. And I'm like, this is the best role that I've seen in a long time. And yeah. [1:02:17] But we were able to get it financed with Casey. And he stole that Oscar from you. That's how he returned the favor. He took your fucking Oscar. I like to say I gave it to him.

[1:02:27] I'm sure he wouldn't mind that, right? Yeah, not at all. After ripping his heart open in that performance. I allowed you to have it. I allowed you. Okay, lightning round as we end. You have four girls. You've talked so much about how great it is. Do you know the fact, the research shows, [1:02:47] you live. Did you know that? I believe it. I've never heard that before. Yeah, there's a... [1:02:51] Research that says like you get like a year or something added to your life with each daughter and mothers lose a year for each child they have. So congrats. Yes, of course. Boy or girl. The dads get, yes, doesn't matter. The dads get all the years. Right, right. And the mothers wither away. That sounds totally fair. No, but having all these women in your life, in your house, like, and all, like, I'm, I'm, [1:03:18] What's the biggest joy? Speaking about joy, what's the biggest joy about watching them get older and grow up and become real people in the world? Oh, wow. I mean, they're just incredible. I mean, they're so different. [1:03:31] Um, [1:03:33] And so different from one another. Are they like launching into the world now in different ways? Yeah, my... [1:03:39] you know, I've got one about to turn 28, one who just turned 20. And then we still have two in the nest, 17, almost 18 and 15. Yeah. They're just, they're just amazing. They're my favorite people. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And I feel very lucky that, that, you know, I grew up with just a brother and it was just a side of the, the human experience that I just didn't,

[1:04:03] have access to. And, and I, and I, and I got that in the, in, you know, that next chapter of my life. And it's, it's just been beautiful. Okay. And your comfort watch, what, uh, what are you like, what, you know, I was thinking about, I was like, wow, when Matt's like changing the channels and watching movies, there must be a lot of times where you're like, I was in that, I work with that person, you know, like I almost got that part. There's a lot of movies that you've been in and a lot of movies that you know a lot about or that you've produced or that. So what is a [1:04:33] out and be like, if it's on, I'm watching it. Usually Will Ferrell's movies, you know, like, [1:04:39] In our house, you kind of can't go wrong with him. Like he we we've we've watched, you know, Step Brothers and Talladega Nights and, you know, again and again and again. [1:04:50] Yeah. Blades of Glory, too. Oh, my God. Because, you know, and Will Speck is a great friend of ours. Yes, that's right. That is one of the that that's definitely in the pantheon. Oh, my God. That movie, how fun and dumb that movie is. It's so genius. OK. And water, how do we fix it? Oh, my God. And this is a speed round. [1:05:12] But I mean, I've been reading the work you're doing. It's incredible. What should we be doing? What can we do?

[1:05:20] directly. Or there's this new, we have Get Blue, which we launched this summer, which is if you see anything that says Get Blue on it, if it's, or if, you know, there's hoodies and t-shirts at the Gap, let's say Get Blue, there are, you can go to Starbucks and get a blue matcha or a coconut refresher and proceeds from that will go to water.org and do the work we're doing. And we've reached 92 million people so far, you know, which is really something because we do it through [1:05:50] And had we stayed with drilling wells, it would have taken us 600 years to get to where we are right now. So it's scaling. It's a sustainable solution. And there's a lot more to be done. And amazing. Talk about the Odyssey, man. Yeah, that's a big one. 600 years is too long. Okay, so last question I ask everybody. Anything you're watching right now that's making you laugh, video or video? [1:06:15] a scene from a show? I literally last night. Okay, great. So my kids were watching this thing called Love Island. Oh, yeah. The teens are obsessed. I couldn't do it. I get too much embarrassment. Yeah, I couldn't. But before we literally sat down, we had some friends visiting, then they have a teenage daughter and they're staying with us. And so the kids at dinner were [1:06:45] And so we're flicking and there's something called Temptation Island. [1:06:48] Oh, yeah. And so that and so I get so we look at the little thing. I'm like, you guys want to give this a shot for an hour before Love Island comes on. And I mean, it was it did not disappoint. Am I wrong that Temptation Island is if you make out or have sex, you're out.

[1:07:06] No, I, from what I could understand. Okay, that's, wait, that's called Too Hot to Something. I watched episode one of season two last night, and it was, they introduced these four couples. Four unmarried couples. Yeah, four unmarried couples. Traveled to a tropical island to have their fidelity tested. So they bring in people. They bring in hot singles. [1:07:33] It was so funny. Amazing. [1:07:36] You know, the hot singles and all the guys come in and like rip their shirts off and they're like, you made a mistake bringing her here, bro. [1:07:45] I don't know how long you'll last. We did make it through an episode, but it was really funny. Oh, that's great. And my friend, she was she was she's visiting with her daughter and we were howling. [1:08:06] And I'm like, you know, guys, I doubt if they all just were faithful to each other. There wouldn't be much of a show. So I have a feeling. I have a feeling someone's going to buckle. We're going to see some cracks in the veneer. Also, the acting exercise of having to come in and be so confident. It's unbelievable. Like, I'm breaking you guys up. I know. I know. It's unbelievable. The women and the men, they're just, you've never seen more confident people. Couples get all, you know, they do these in-depth interviews. And then, you know, where it's just like, you know, he's had a problem with fidelity in the past. [1:08:36] But this time it's going to be fun. This time he's going to prove it by going to Temptation Island.

[1:08:42] And like you see these guys, like they get split up into separate. So the four guys who are in the couples, they get split up from their partner and they go into a house with, you know, 10 gorgeous women. Yes, some honeypots over there. Like you see them. These guys start to crack within 30 seconds. [1:08:59] Well, I mean, I didn't know it was going to be like this. I mean, what is a man supposed to do? And it's also the they're they're like they're all in their 20s and they're all like, you know, you know, [1:09:12] I mean, this, I mean, she really means a lot to me. We've been together for 15 months. [1:09:18] It's like, I mean, after six months, I mean, I had my lapse and I was unfaithful to her. But since then I've been, and you're just like, this is a fucking disaster. I don't know if I'll hang in there. I made it through one episode. We had some laughs. I love that the kids, your kids are like, I don't know. They seem pretty in love. And you're like, I have a feeling someone's going to fall. Just from a writing perspective, I can tell you, we're going to need some, a little more conflict. [1:09:42] sad too for that casting and they're like good news is you got temptation island oh my god exciting [1:09:46] Bad news is you're not coming in to tempt any of the people. [1:09:51] Why not? I just thought it would be better if you were the lady that worked at the island.

[1:09:59] Well, Matt, thank you so much for coming and doing this. It was such a blast. Yeah, I had a ball. Congrats on this incredible movie and all the work you do. And thanks so much for being here. I appreciate it. Thanks, guys. [1:10:12] Well, thank you so much, Matt Damon. [1:10:16] And boy, done good. Thank you for coming. And what a pleasure to talk to you. And your work is incredible. So congrats on that and keep doing it. And for this polar plunge, you know, Matt talked very briefly about something that he created, a global nonprofit at water.org. But what it really is, is an incredible organization founded by himself and Gary White. And they provide microloans to, you know, people. [1:10:46] make sure that there's clean water and proper sanitation all over the world. So it's pretty awesome. I mean, sometimes on these plunges, I talk about, oh, I don't know, a song I'm listening to, or I could use this plunge to, you know, goof around about the Martian, but no. [1:11:03] I want to just remind you to go donate time, energy or money to water.org and go see the Odyssey. I mean, the Odyssey doesn't need me to pump it. Everyone in the world is going to go see it. OK, thanks for listening. Good for Good Hang. OK, bye. [1:11:22] You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite.

[1:11:33] Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, and Alaya Zanaris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original music by Amy Miles.