Matt Damon and Ben Affleck opened up about their decades-long friendship during a candid interview on Sirius XM’s The Howard Stern Show on Monday, Jan. 12.
The two actors, promoting their upcoming Netflix film The Rip, discussed how they’ve stood by each other through personal and professional highs and lows.
At a Glance
- Matt Damon said he was “there for all of it” during Ben Affleck’s divorce and alcohol addiction struggles
- Affleck responded, “That means a lot to me,” calling Damon a “real friend”
- The duo reflected on growing up together in Boston and navigating fame side by side
- Why it matters: Their friendship has lasted over 40 years, offering a rare example of loyalty in Hollywood
Damon Stood by Affleck During Tough Times
When Howard Stern asked Damon about supporting Affleck through “all his problems,” including divorce and alcohol addiction, Damon didn’t hesitate.
“Oh, yeah, our relationship isn’t affected by what people are saying,” Damon, 55, said. “I was there for all of it.”
Affleck, 53, responded with emotion. “That means a lot to me,” he told Damon. “That’s sort of what a real friend is.”
The Gone Girl star has been open about his struggles. After separating from Jennifer Garner in 2015, Affleck completed treatment for alcohol addiction in 2017, the same year their divorce was finalized. He later married Jennifer Lopez in 2022, but the couple split in 2025.
Friendship Rooted in Shared Dreams
Damon and Affleck traced their bond back to their childhood in Boston, where they bonded over a shared love of acting and filmmaking.
“We were both obsessed with [making movies and acting] from an early age which definitely kind of linked us up,” Damon said. “But it’s kind of a weird thing in retrospect, because we came from a city where that wasn’t a thing.”
Affleck added that finding a shared passion early on made their friendship even stronger.
“The shared interest, like finding the job you like to do and then you do that with your friends, it’s really a nice thing, because you spend so much time at work,” he said.
Navigating Fame Together
The two actors also reflected on how fame changed their lives after the success of Good Will Hunting, which they co-wrote and starred in during their mid-20s.
“Your evolution gets kind of stunted at the moment you become famous because the world treats you differently,” Damon said. “I think we were lucky in that we were 25 and 27, so we had a handful of years under our belt where we would walk into a room and not turn any heads.”
In unison, they both added, “And nobody gave a s—.”
Affleck agreed that going through fame together helped them stay grounded.
“That’s kind of why we’re as sane as we are – to what degree, you may be the judge!” he joked. “But getting famous and successful kind of together, [we had] somebody to turn to and go ‘is this f—ing nuts, or what?’ Or to say ‘what are you doing, man?'”
New Film Marks Latest Collaboration
The interview coincided with the promotion of their new movie The Rip, which premieres on Netflix on January 16. The film, directed by Joe Carnahan, also stars Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, and Kyle Chandler.
This marks another major collaboration between Damon and Affleck, who have worked together on multiple projects since Good Will Hunting launched their careers.
A Friendship That Stands the Test of Time
Throughout the interview, both men emphasized how their shared experiences – both personal and professional – have kept them close for over four decades.
From growing up in Boston to becoming Hollywood A-listers, Damon and Affleck have leaned on each other through it all. Their latest project, The Rip, is just another chapter in a friendship built on loyalty, shared dreams, and mutual respect.
Key Takeaways
- Matt Damon supported Ben Affleck through his divorce and addiction recovery
- The two have been friends since childhood, bonding over a love of filmmaking
- They credit their shared fame experience with helping them stay grounded
- Their new film The Rip debuts on Netflix January 16
