On and off the screen: why we love Matt Damon

Matt Damon is a much-loved star of the big screen with a long and impressive filmography under his belt. From the poker classic Rounders to the Ocean’s series, the actor is able to take on many roles and fully immerse himself into the characters he is playing, from the good guy to the bad guy and everything in between. Here are just some of the reasons why we absolutely love Matt Damon both on and off the screen.

Down to Earth 

His acting skills are first-rate, and he is a total chameleon completely disappearing inside his character. However, when seen in the flesh as himself, you can also understand what a genuinely lovely guy he is. When stars appear on chat shows, you get a glimpse of their natural personality, and when he appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show, you could see that he is a totally normal and funny man.

He also doesn’t take himself too seriously and is able to laugh at his own failings. He will be the first to admit that the media hype up all of the rumoured character traits, and actually, he is just a guy next door who is incredibly good at his job.

Damon and Kimmel actually have something of a working reputation and created a video that went viral with a mock feud between the two. Damon was seen ranting about being dropped from Kimmel’s show which, of course, was purely for the camera but sent them viral.

Another hilarious late-night YouTube offering came in the form of Sarah Silverman, who was at the time dating Kimmel, professing to be sleeping with Matt Damon and the response from Kimmel was ‘Well, so am I!’. Things like this suddenly showcase his ability to make fun of himself and enjoy a good laugh with his friends.

Terrifying Baddies

When he is on the big screen, it has to be said that his portrayal of the bad guy is nothing short of terrifying. We all know of actors who have a limited repertoire and are themselves in whatever parts they are selected for. However, Matt Damon totally transforms and is almost unrecognisable sometimes when he takes on a new character.

In the highly successful Bourne Identity trilogy his character was not only dark but immersed in a world of assassinations and conspiracy, leaving the viewer on the edge of his seat. In Dogma, he perfectly portrayed a man who had reached the age of his tolerance. One who was likely to break at any given moment with an outburst of violence.

He has proved beyond a doubt that if you need the nastiest of bad guys in your movie Matt Damon is someone to call for an audition, although at this point, you will need to be a pretty big director to get this talent on your project.

Humanitarian 

Stepping back into real life, Matt Damon is something of a humanitarian and has a desire to be involved in social causes. He was the brainchild behind the H2O Africa Foundation, an organisation bringing water to many different locations in Africa. Ensuring that it is as portable as possible so it can go wherever it is needed at any time. Not on Our Watch project is another cause for which he has a lot of time.

George Clooney, his oceans 11 co-star, is also part of the group, and they aim to try and bring down any mass atrocities around the world. It is not just his money that Damon contributes.

He also went out to Haiti when it was struck by drought and volunteered his time and physical efforts as part of the United Nations stabilisation mission. He is also part of a campaign called the ONE campaign, dedicated to fighting poverty and preventing AIDS in third world countries. He really is a bit of an all-around hero.

He is Ridiculously Humble

Many interviewers have commented how down-to-earth and humble this multi-million-pound star is. In fact, he has been known to apologise to interviewers for being so dull. His life can be pretty standard aside from the jetting all over the world to glamorous film locations.

He has been married to his wife for many years, having met her while he was filming in Miami in 2003, and she was tending the bar. He is also an incredible father of four daughters, one with his wife and three that he has willingly and happily taken on as his own from his wife’s previous relationship.

One of his on the road rules is never to stay away from home for more than two weeks.

This, he says, is one of the reasons why he is such a dull film star. Because he is happily married and a family man that doesn’t deviate from this life when he isn’t on the film set.

With such a wide range of films under his belt, we think he is anything but dull, and if you are looking to check out Matt Damon at his best, why not watch Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, Elysium, or re-watch the Bourne series or the Ocean’s series.