Hollywood actor Matt Damon has revealed a significant personal reaction to his latest film, Christopher Nolan's epic 'The Odyssey', from his lifelong friend Ben Affleck. Damon, who plays the war hero Odysseus in the adaptation of Homer's Greek classic, spoke about a phone call from Affleck that he described as a compliment he had been anticipating for 45 years.
The two actors, who have known each other since their school days, share a friendship Damon has called 'one of the great loves of my life'. Damon recounted to MTV UK that after Affleck watched 'The Odyssey', he received an hour-long phone call. Affleck, according to Damon, 'didn't stop talking for an hour' and had seemingly absorbed every detail of the film in a single viewing, offering a profound endorsement.
Beyond Affleck's high praise, Damon also shared his apprehension about the reaction from his second eldest daughter, Isabella. Known for being a 'very tough critic' of his previous work – once famously dismissing his film 'The Great Wall' as simply 'The Wall' – her approval was particularly meaningful. Isabella told her father she was 'proud' of him, a reaction Damon noted made him feel as though the film had already achieved success.
'The Odyssey', directed by 'Oppenheimer' helmer Christopher Nolan, features a star-studded cast including Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Anne Hathaway alongside Damon. The film has garnered significant critical acclaim ahead of its general cinema release on Friday, 17 July. Reviews from major UK publications, including The Independent, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, Evening Standard, and Metro, have awarded the film full marks, praising Nolan's adaptation and its intellectual, brutalist approach to the source material.
Damon, also father to daughters Gia, 17, and Stella, 15, with wife Luciana, and Alexia, 27, from a previous relationship, appears to be enjoying both critical and personal validation for his latest leading role, reinforcing the strong bonds within his inner circle.