CNN —
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been friends for decades and have worked together frequently, but according to Damon, their lives just aren’t the same.
Damon recently appeared on the Radio Times Podcast with Affleck’s brother, Casey, and spoke about the intense media scrutiny his brother has been under.
“I can’t imagine living under that kind of scrutiny,” Damon says. “It’s been that way for 25 years, and we’ve had parallel careers in many ways, so I feel lucky to have been exempt from that part. [it].”
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck gained worldwide fame and an Academy Award for their screenplay for Good Will Hunting in 1998.
Damon said his “boring” marriage to Luciana Barroso allowed him to escape the attention despite the popularity of celebrity tabloids 25 years ago.
“Married men are so boring,” he said. “What sells is scandal and sex and stuff. And unless you’re doing that, they don’t think it’s worth the time to wait to get your picture taken, so they just left me alone.”
Affleck is currently married to singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. They were engaged in 2003 but later broke up, reportedly in part due to the media attention their relationship received, although Affleck has publicly stated that he is not fascinated by fame.
Affleck and Lopez reunited after nearly 20 years.
Damon said he wanted to focus on his career rather than becoming a star.
“I just wanted to get to work, so I hid away for a few years until I found my direction,” Damon said. “Luckily, I fell in love with someone outside the industry. [and] Having someone who was okay with that side of me really helped me.”
Matt Damon and Casey Affleck currently star in Apple TV+’s “The Instigators.”