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a forum for sharing news among Matt fans.

Updated 4/28/2001

A couple of stills photo from two of the best loved scenes in GWH.

"That Matt Damon is going places", Gregory Peck, 1998. . .

4/29/01

Photo from 'Poker Digest' magazine, via Felicity.

From Felicity:

... (some of us) like the brief scene outside Skylar's dorm in GWH. Finally, a photo reminder (very dark photo and hard to get the scan right - shown above). I re-found a Japanese photo book of Matt, with lots of stills of movies not readily available. There's even one from Chasing Amy.
From Anderson Jones' Movie Scoop column on Eonline: In the Works: Gus Van Sant's currently casting his next project, Jerry , and he has already approached Matt Damon and Casey Affleck to star...
***
No listing on IMDB, upcomingmovies.com or Corona Film Listings. According to amazon, it's also not a book title.
As mentioned previously, 'Sarah' is the project that he was believed to be involved with next - from a Gus fan page. There is no mention of a project called 'Jerry'. http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/9542/gusnews.html January 25, 2001: NEW PROJECT FOR GUS VAN SANT!! Well, i've been sitting on this for awhile, until i could better confirm it...and now i have...so it is with pleasure that I announce that Gus Van Sant's next film will be Sarah, based on the recently released novel of the same name by JT Leroy. Described as a retelling of the prodigal son parable set in the modern world of transvesties, hustlers, and truck stops, this one looks very interesting indeed. Expect casting to be announced soon, and be aware that they are currently looking for leads AND extras to be in the film (more information on that as it becomes available!). Thanks to Emily for the tip on Sarah and keep checking back here for updates on the project's status.
Very curious...
From an article on filming in Prague from the Chicago Tribune: The city recently served as a stand-in for 19th Century London in "From Hell," a Jack the Ripper story starring Johnny Depp. It also doubled as Berlin, Paris and Zurich for a remake of "Bourne Identity," with Matt Damon starring in the Robert Ludlum thriller, and as Amsterdam for ABC's version of the Anne Frank story. Prague also has a lot of local technical know-how, a carryover from communist days when filmmaking was a major state-subsidized enterprise. But what has really gotten Hollywood's attention is that Prague is still cheap. According to Stillman, when Universal was shooting parts of "Bourne Identity" in Paris, its expenses ran about $250,000 a day. When it moved to Prague, those costs dropped to about $100,000 a day.
And another picture from the book...
(That's the one of a fresh-faced Matt in that orange-colored jacket -- Will Hunting giving George Putnam (the psychiatrist) a hard time. Oh, don't I love that scene.)

4/28/01

From Kathryn:
I thought you would definitely be interested in this:
http://www.fametracker.com/blue_moons/oscar_affleck_damon.asp. It's scathing about both, but did make me laugh at the mention of Armageddon and Phantoms being about Ben's level.
There is also this about Ben and his apparent lack of desire to vote, despite being a vocal supporter of Gore. I'm guessing the same can't be said of Matt, and there is no mention of him, yet he was also present at the Democratic Convention and a vocal supporter of Gore.
From Felicity:
...no news around. The George Clooney interview on People online has no extra info re Oceans.
NY Post's video site has some interviews re Matt, mostly about film releases and reviews. Do a search at here
A Pretty Horses interview includes this passage, when Matt was asked about his views on money: "Knowing that my nephew's college is paid for, and someday I can have kids and their college will be paid for. For me personally, my theory on money is that it should be used for experiences: travel and stuff like that. And if you have extra, you should give it away."

4/26/01

Felicity wrote:
From People online. George is also the focus of next week's issue:
Clooney at play
If there was a prank pulled on the Las Vegas location of the upcoming all-star heist flick "Ocean's 11," PEOPLE reports in its latest issue, the perpetrator was probably coverboy George Clooney. The star, who turns 40 on May 6, was producer Jerry Weintraub's chief suspect when it was 1 a.m. and Weintraub returned to his Bellagio hotel suite only to find a gooey coat of Vaseline on every doorknob inside. Arming himself with a baseball bat, reveals PEOPLE, Weintraub stormed down the hall, rapped on the door of costar Julia Roberts's suite and bellowed his summons: "Where the hell is Clooney?" As Roberts feigned sleepy innocence, Weintraub searched her room. Then, hearing a door slam, he swung around to see Clooney and Matt Damon hightailing it down the hall. On another night, reports PEOPLE, Clooney rigged a bucket of water over Roberts's door -- only to soak a hapless bellman who entered first. "The pranks here," sighed Weintraub, "are akin to 'Animal House.' "
***
Remember the Vanity Fair party, and how Matt was seen "nuzzling with a dark haired beauty called Odessa"? Well, Odessa's the name of Billy Bob Thornton's assistant, thus giving any possible 'relationship' even less credence.
Added the Big Matt Fan:
Clooney is infamous for his pranks. However, it seems good natured. Interesting to see Matt join in the fun. Sounds like he's really having fun on the set. After so many taxing films (the self-depravation of TTMR, the injury in TLBV, even the last minute re-writes of TBI), it must be a relief for him to be on a set where there's less personal pressure to carry every scene and more time to enjoy himself. What a contrast from his Ripley days when never went out and spent all his free time running. Thanks, again, Felicity for the great find
(I agree with the Big Matt Fan on all counts. Our thanks to Felicity is way beyond words.)

A Ben joke?
From Kerry :)
this (see right, with heading "Future Home of Matt Damon") is what's up on www.affleck.com possibly a joke about matt, from Ben? as before it had the future home of ben affleck! I wonder if the site is finally being relaunched?
Steph also wrote about the same:
I don't know if you've checked out affleck.com lately. I've been waiting to see this up on your website, but it hasn't. It now says the Future home of Matt Damon. And has some pictures. Anyone know what that's about?

4/24/01

Reader NR wrote:
Greetings. It's been a long time.
Nate Bynum, whose class Matt spoke to in Las Vegas did not play one of the jurors in the Rainmaker. Mr Bynum was in the scene where the Danny DeVito character takes Rudy Baylor to hospital for the first time. DeVito walks into the room looks at Mr McKenzie's chart and says, "How are you doing Mr McKenzie?" Mr McKenzie responds back and Devito says "Gall Bladder, wrong fish." This is the same scene where Matt hits the patient Mr Van Landel broken leg.
Rudy never speaks to Mr McKenzie. All he does is shrugs his shoulders and waves his hand at at Mr McKenzie.
My brother tells me there is an article in the new Movieline about how villians in today's movies are not convincing enough. He says that the article mentions Matt in the Talented Mr Ripley and the reporter thought Matt with his smirks and sort was not scary enough to play the mass murderer Ripley.
Regards and waiting impatiently for Bourne and Oceans to come out,
NR

Matt as John Grady in his darkest moment in ATPH
Silvy( http://TheRedfordPitt.homestead.com/ http://Cruise2Report.homestead.com/) wrote:
Hope this is new for you! From All The Pretty Horses! (See photo on right.)
(Strangely, Matt looked almost Will-Hunting like in this jail scene.)
Diane wrote:
Just to let everyone know that according to www.viewaskew.com the "Dogma" Special Edition DVD is definitely coming out on June 26, 2001. Also "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" is slated for an August 10, 2001 release.
From Felicity:
Not the best pic, but a similar one to the other turtleneck shot is now at a George Clooney site, originally from an Italian magazine.

4/23/01

Stephanie wrote:
I have " Ben's GQ interview posted at my website. It's All About The Benjamin. Anyway, Ben does make the following reference to Matt:
As we enter a downstairs guest room, Affleck points out a single mark on the wood floor. ï¿½Thatï¿½s where Matt Damon nearly burned my house down,ï¿½ he says of his writing partnerï¿½s penchant for smoking in bed during his stay last summer.
Felicity wrote:
The March issue of W magazine has finally arrived on local shelves. As I mentioned previously, it includes an article with Franka Potente, and has only a couple of lines in addition to the story published on the net. (paraphrasing because I can't remember it exactly...) Potente says she and Damon will light the screen with erotic crackle. "There's some magic, I would say. I think that would show."
***
Bagger Vance is third in DVD sales on its first week in release.
A reader wrote:
This is Abdelhadi ( http://www.mattdamon.fr.fm ) again!!!!
Well, i've got now a pic of Matt...i hope it's gonna please u!!!
Its title is " Matt, is he Dady?! " see uuuuu
And the pic is one that has been featured on this site many times before, and is once again featured. Thanks, Abdelhadi, for reminding me of this great photo.

4/22/01

Felicity wrote:

AICN

(Kathryn also wrote about the article, thanks1)

4/21/01

A Big Matt Fan wrote:
Rounders reminder:
FX Channel
Sunday, April 22: 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm
Monday, April 23: 8:30 pm
Sunday, April 29: 5:30 pm
Monday, April 30: 12:00 pm
All times, PST. (It's probably an hour earlier for Central and Mountain zones)
Also: TTMR runs on Showtime on Tuesday, April 24, at 11:45 pm.
Felicity's finds and thoughts:
- Another interesting note in 'Sight and Sound' magazine was in an article on the career and choices of Gus van Sant. Apparently when Gus got the audition video from Rob Brown (who was the eventual lead in Finding Forrester) he showed it to Matt and Winona Ryder. After receiving a positive response from them, he then pursued Brown for the lead role.
  Another sign that Gus thinks very highly of Matt, and chooses to remain in contact with him (never a mention of Ben).
- After watching the latest Oprah again, it's interesting to remember that both Matt and Billy Bob said that meeting Gregory Peck was their favourite celebrity encounter.
- Bad sidenote: I watched Robert Redford in "The way we were" last night (absolute shocker of a movie now), and goshdarnit, that critic from some obscure paper was right. Matt's hair in Bagger Vance was identical to that of the young Redford in the film. I don't know if it was coincidence or just fate, but it was very similar... At least there was no Barbra Streisand in BV.
- From Norm Clarke's column in the Las Vegas Review Journal Friday:
  Damon gives UNLV students an impromptu lesson
  Matt Damon doesn't forget his friends.
  Five years ago, Damon was filming "The Rainmaker" at Mississippi State University when he was befriended by fellow actor Nate Bynum.
  They stayed in touch after Damon won an Oscar and Bynum moved to Las Vegas to become a theater professor at UNLV.
  Bynum asked Damon for a favor the other day. The next thing you know, Damon showed up on campus Tuesday and spent almost two hours offering career tips to Sean Clark's graduate screenwriting class.
  "He was witty and charming and he talked about everything he's doing," said Clark.
  Damon, in town for his role in "Ocean's Eleven," revealed himself to be "an amazing student ... so serious about" his craft, said Clark. "He kept stressing education and having a full life." Damon told the students he spends three months preparing for a role and never misses an opportunity to tap into the knowledge of directors like Steven Soderbergh and fellow actors.
  Damon, 30, said his birthday wish came true when a dinner was arranged with veteran actor Morgan Freeman.
  As for his future, Damon said he recently passed up a role in what he predicts will be the blockbuster of next summer. He declined to name the film, but said he turned it down because he didn't consider it a good career move.
  For the blockbuster - Minority Report? For all of the worrying we do for Matt about appearing (or not appearing) in commercially successful films, it certainly seems that he isn't worried! The Morgan Freeman dinner might have been courtesy of Ben, who's currently filming with him (Sum of all fears).
  It's another great story of Matt befriending someone who's not really in a position to help him, and keeping in touch. Nate Bynum was in The Rainmaker as Mr McKenzie - a photo shows him to be black and in his mid-30s. One of the jurors perhaps? But can Matt really endorse having a "full life" when he's seen precious little of one for the last few years!
- There's a fairly indistinct photo of Matt signing a photo for a fan at the site I can't find any info on the university's home page or campus magazine.
- Billy Bob is on the cover of the prestigious British magazine 'Sight and Sound' as the focus of an article on Pretty Horses. The article examines the problems of the film, its poor box office etc, and discusses the movie in detail. It just depressed me so I didn't buy it, but it seemed to claim that the movie had potential to be great but was let down in a number of areas. The review by the critic (who disliked Matt) also had similar views. Re the Elle article - I really hope, as Josie and the Pussycats tried to claim, that Heath Ledger is not the new Matt. He's back in Australia at the moment promoting his new film, and I really dislike the guy, and don't think he can act. The local media, of course, love him.
Matt's cameo in "Finding Forrester"

Kelly @ MattDamonFanPage.com wrote:
Just wanted to send off a quick reminder that Finding Forrester comes out on video and DVD this Tuesday in the US. Matt Damon plays a small cameo role at the end of the movie as a lawyer. PS: here's a picture of Damon from that movie. Sorry for the low quality, the picture was captured from a VCD because I don't yet have the DVD.
(Picture is shown on left, thank you Kelly!)
And Kathryn wrote from Edinburgh:
Sorry that I haven't been in touch for a while - there hasn't really been anything much on Matt over here, or at least, I haven't noticed it.
I had to respond to the comments on Matt and any "competition" that he might be facing in the future, though.
I don't know much about Mark Wahlberg or Heath Ledger, but Ewan McGregor is a hugely talented actor, and is my favourite British actor alongside Robert Carlyle. I don't think Matt needs to worry about any competition from him: I get the impression from the way their careers have gone so far that they're into decidedly different types of films. If Ewan continues to work with Danny Boyle in the future - and even that is doubtful, because of the way The Beach turned out and because of their respective careers - the films that he has turned out with him are decidedly un-Hollywood (LOL, you just have to see Trainspotting to understand that). That statement also includes Moulin Rouge, and Luhrmann also has a reputation for making films that don't fit the mould. I call it "the mould" because, as much as I try to convince myself that it isn't, Bourne looks as if it's going to turn out that way - certainly in terms of its characterisation, for example, the man proverbially saving the girl from being killed by wiping her fingerprints off of the doorframe, and so on. Anyway, the fact that he's British is a defining factor as far as his career is concerned, so I don't think Ewan's much of a threat, nor is Jude.
I don't think Leo DiCaprio is either, but that's because the choices he's made so far have helped to get rid of some of the post-Titanic hysteria that's surrounded him. To be honest, I don't think Matt has that much in the way of competition (forgoing BV and ATPH, because he made such an impact with GWH), and even if he does, I'm sure he'll make the choices he thinks will help his career. I would have preferred he take up Minority Report -I thought it sounded great, even if Spielberg isn't available to work on it until after AI.
That's all I have to say. Hopefully there will be some big news soon over here...

4/20/01

Val wrote:
The March 2001 issue of Elle's published article, "Hunks in Hypeland" discusses Hollywood's feeding frenzy for young leading men such as Heath Ledger, Colin Ferrell, Josh Hartnett, Chris Klein and Paul Walker. The Year of the Buzz Boy phenomenon is attributed to the aging of Hollywood's tried and trues (Willis, Schwarzenegger, and Gibson.)
"Affleck and DiCaprio are too old to play early twenties ..." "... even those without a track record but with a killer smile, talent, and a good agent can command an amazing price."
Only a few years ago, Matt Damon and Affleck, who had already appeared in CHASING AMY and SCHOOL TIES had to pen GWH to get any serious attention. But today, who needs to write? ... So when Jim Carrey backed out of Schumacher's thriller PHONE BOOTH (citing creative differences), when Ed Norton ditched HART'S WAR to star in Danny DeVito's DEATH TO SMOOCHY, and when Damon turned down Speilberg for MINORITY REPORT because of scheduling conflicts, buzz boy Colin Ferrell was offered all three roles."
The current trend does not speak well for actors still attempting to establish themselves in the business especially those who have not proven to be consistent big box office phenoms. Altho we as Matt fans, understand his movie choices and penchant for working with respected directors, Matt does needs a winner movie to secure a stronghold in the ever increasing competitive Hollywood market...
The article goes on to say that the impending writer's strike has hastened casting and quick movie production--thus 'new' hunky actors who have been snatched up for roles may not have had the same opp had a strike not been an issue as studios would have waited for the more established actors to free up their schedules.
I haven't checked to see if this article in on the Web but it is lengthy and worth a complete read.
Responded the Big Matt Fan:
Well, every year has its Buzz Boy. Looks like Colin Ferrell will be this year's. I think he's Matt's biggest competition of those mentioned. As for the others, they really don't seem to be approaching Matt's level just yet, perhaps because they are still playing "boy" roles. Personally, the ones I worry about are Heath Ledger, Mark Wahlberg, and Ewan McGregor. Though Matt is much more talented, they all are vaguely similar in appearance and have some name recognition. A close-up of Heath's face is the single image on the "Knight's Tale" posters on bus stops everywhere in LA. Mark's "Planet of the Apes" publicity is going to be huge. 20th already has billboards for this movie up, although they all show the apes. Ewan has "Moulin Rouge" and "Star Wars", though I have a sneaking suspicion that he may be upstaged by the new boy, Hayden Christiansen. I think these are Matt's biggest competition for the more commercial roles, along with Ben, Matthew McConaughey (sp?), and Brendan Frasier.
As for the more prestigious, Academy level roles, I see Edward Norton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joaquin Phoenix, and possibly Jude Law as primary competitors, though they all have somewhat different looks than Matt.
I, too, am concerned about Matt's career. However, I'm hoping that Matt's talent and professionalism have earned him enough admirers to keep him employed for a long time. Many who have worked with him before have expressed an interest in working with him again. One advantage to working with powerful directors is that they have the clout to cast anyone they want, and Matt is a director's dream--talented, smart, professional, and refreshingly devoid of star ego.
My two cents....
Thank you, Danielle, for writing:
Just thought I'd shoot the latest your way from eonline's Ted Casablanca. Not that we really listen to what this guy has to say, right?
Vegas Dreamin'
Who's the most popular celeb guest in Vegas? Maybe it's Julia Roberts. A Bellagio bellman who toted groceries to J.R.'s room was tipped $7 by her bodyguard. Not shabby for carrying girly goods to an Oscar owner. Then again, considering her $20 million-per-flick asking price, not spectacular. Nope, not Jules.
Matt Damon is supposed to be a helluva honey, but he didn't even tip the diligent Mirage Hotel dude who quickly hailed him a cab. Quick! Alert The Smoking Gun!
So, who's the hottie that all the hotel and casino workers adore? When he's in town the word wildly spreads, and employees pray he'll sashay up to their tables. He's kindhearted and generous, say those who have seen him give cocktail waitresses gratuities in thousand-dollar increments.
Why, it's Ben Affleck. He keeps shattering that cocky exterior by doing things like giving dealers at the Hard Rock Hotel $20,000 to $30,000.
Good Will Stunting, you might say.
Felicity weighed in:
I've been waiting for stories on the last day of Las Vegas shooting (very public place), but none yet. From Yahoo a few days ago
Spy Plane Crew Mulls Movie Portrayal
NEW YORK (AP) - Who would you want to play you in the Hollywood version of your life?
Some of the 24 spy plane crew members who were detained on a Chinese island say they know who they'd want to portray them.
``I'm torn between (Russell) Crowe and (Matt) Damon. Either one would be an honor,'' mission commander Lt. Shane Osborn said Monday on the Fox News Channel morning show ``Fox and Friends.''
Osborn joked that ``Carrot Top could play (Lt. j.g. Jeff) Vignery,'' a redhead.
``I was thinking Ron Howard would be interesting,'' Vignery responded.
The crew members returned to their home base on Whidbey Island, Wash., on Saturday. They had been held for 11 days on an island where their surveillance plane landed after a collision with a Chinese fighter jet.

4/19/01

Greory Peck's kind remark on Matt has adorned this page for quite some time now. If you don't know what a fine actor Mr. Peck is, you should check out the show "A Conversation with Gregory Peck" on the Public Broadcast System, to be aired again this Sunday. I appreciate his compliment on Matt even more after having watched the show.

Matt in "Rounders"
A Big Matt Fan wrote:
In last week's Entertainment Weekly, the video section noted that though BV didn't do well in theaters, its video premiere "came in under par" -- which is good in golfing terms. BV isn't one of Matt's finest, but it's the closest thing to a "feel good" movie he's done since GWH. I think it's the kind of lightweight, family safe fare that could do well in rentals or TV...
BTW, check your listings for Rounders next week. FX will be running the film several times. (This is good for Matt. Every network run is residual money in his pocket.)
This notice is a bit early, but watch out for Bravo's "Inside the Actor's Studio" in the first week of June. Robin Williams will be interviewed, and since his Oscar win was for GWH, it's entirely possible that he'll throw a few complimentary words Matt's way.
(Speaking of Rounders, check out today's feature photo, and the photo to the left - one of my fav. "Rounders" was another of Matt's underappreciated movies that should have been a hit, with the talented Ed Norton as co-star. It is an intellgent, understated film. And Matt is a feast to the eyes in this pic. If you are a newly converted Matt fan, this one is well worth checking out.)

4/18/01

A back view of Matt on the O11 set.

Thank you, Silvy, for sharing the photo on left. Wrote Silvy: "It's on the back, but better then nothing :-) Found it at Starring Julia Roberts!"

Great finds, from Felicity:
Here's a really interesting article in which Ted Tally (adapter of Pretty Horses) talks a lot about Matt, the backlash over Pretty Horses, and the response by those involved to its disappointing box office and critical returns. The article is at: http://www.wgaeast.org/newsletter_and_publications/ted-tally-transcript.html .
Best quotes:
What did you think of Matt Damon in the film?
"I'm impressed with his performance. I read a review where they said, 'Matt Damon gives a perfunctory performance.' And I thought, that critic and I might as well be from separate planets. We don't have any language in common. I don't know how to make a movie that would please that person. That person doesn't understand my world. It's weird to me. To me, he gives the best performance of his career, one of the best performances by a young male actor I've seen in many years. I think he's, as one critic said, he's the shining heart of this movie. He has to carry a tremendously hard burden, he's in almost every frame, and he has to ride and rope and be a convincing cowboy, do the accent, speak Spanish and do physically difficult stunts, some of them, and be good at the love scenes and just carry the entire movie on his back. And he's playing a very sort of laconic, understated character, he has to say four things with his eyes and his face for every line that he speaks, because it's not a character who would reveal things openly and nakedly. It's a reflective character, but not a verbose one. It's very, very tough and I think he's magnificent. He's a pleasure to work with, too, he's just so smart and so down to earth, he has no star ego whatsoever that I could ever detect. He makes everybody around him look better and I was just kind of in awe of his work. And then to have the critics say, 'Well, he's not very good,' I think, well, why have they got it in for him? Is he too successful and cute and have too much money? They hated 'Bagger Vance' and they're still hitting him for that? What is it? I don't understand... It was the kind of snarky, bitchy critical response that you often see in the theater, where it's this tiny little in-bred group of critics who are all looking over their shoulders at each other's work, It was as if they all got together in some room and compared notes and said, 'Okay, here's gonna be the story of our take on this movie. Now everybody toe the line.'"
An interesting situation on the set -- you, Damon and Thornton -- three people who've all won screenwriting Oscars...
"That didn't stop any critic in the world from knowing more about storytelling here than we do. I thought, well, okay, you've got Cormac McCarthy. This brilliant, award-winning novelist; you've got three Oscar-winning writers involved in the making of this movie. Were we all so stupid, do we all not know anything about good storytelling and good editing and... you know, what is that? We didn't think so. We still don't think so, and to their credit, people like Matt and Henry Thomas, it's like, well, you know, nothing can change their opinion. Matt says this is the best movie I've ever made. Now, he's worked with Spielberg and Coppola and Redford and Gus van Zant -- you know, he's made some very good movies.
He's very unabashed, very unshy about saying this is my best film. And, you know, it changed my life, I only hope I ever get a chance to do something this worthwhile again. So, you know, it's a weird, schizophrenic thing for all of us.
"We knew that we were facing an uphill battle commercially. That was always clear. No one at Columbia or Miramax was stupid enough to think that, you know, that this literary adaptation of a Western, a period Western, with no car chases or explosions, was going to be 'The Grinch who Stole Christmas' at the box office. No one ever thought that. But we thought we would be taken seriously and respectfully. As in fact we have been by a lot of critics, but, you know, with this type of movie you sort of need critics, you need award nominations and things like that to lead an audience into it. It's like 'The English Patient.' Or even 'Shakespeare in Love,' which struggled at the box office until it got its Oscars."
***
Here's another nice quote about another film: Minghella and Sydney Pollack on Matt in Ripley
Of Damon, Minghella said, ``He is remarkable in that he is young (29) and yet he refused any opportunity to be flamboyant with the role. He's in every single scene of the film. There usually is a temptation for young actors to want to show what they can do. He was disciplined. He underplayed it at every turn, which is the way it should be played.'' As executive producer, Sydney Pollack was the one with his eye on the budget. He admits that the studio was reluctant about the sexuality of the film ``but no one thinks that people will go running away from the theater telling other people that it's immoral. From the first, I was intrigued by a book that left me sympathizing with a killer. I couldn't figure out how Highsmith had me hope that this killer wouldn't be caught. I think that Matt Damon's job was superlative. Can you imagine what this film would have been like if Sean Penn had played Ripley? He would be a psychotic killer.'
**
The Ted Tally quotes are lovely, but sad.

And a Big Matt Fan responded thus:
Thanks for the amazing quotes, Felicity. You can tell that Ted Tally absolutely loves Matt, both as an actor and a person. Many people have gushed about Matt, but Tally's defense is unusually striking in its vigor. Like Matt, Penelope, and Billy Bob, he, too, claims that ATPH changed his life. One can't help but wonder what occurred on that set that made the experience so profound. 4/17/01

Julie wrote:
Hi there! I was just browsing your Ripley site, and saw the lyrics for "Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano" on there. I've been looking for those lyrics everywhere, thanks! As for the rough English translation... There's an English version of this song on the Brian Setzer album "Varoom!" (it's called "Americano" on that album). It's all in English, and is a great translation of the Italian version. You might want to check it out, or find the lyrics to it somewhere. Again, thanks for a great site!
You are welcome. Thank you for writing, Julie.
The Big Matt Fan wrote:
... Matt does make friends, doesn't he? It's always delightful to hear how well he gets along with others. As for the gambling, while I doubt he's the high roller that Ben is (I'm sure the gossips would report it if he were), I am glad he's leaving Sin City. Interesting that they've picked the Warner Bros. studio lot. Brad should be glad, since they film "Friends" there, and of course, it's Clooney's old stomping grounds from his "ER" days.
I hope you all had a pleasant holiday!
This has been mentioned before, but it's worth posting again. My thanks to the reader who sent it in:
Premiere Magazine Year 2001 Hollywood Top 100 Power List --
93. MATT DAMON. Rank last year: 88. Title: A Star is Bourne. Status Report: Furrowed the industry brows by failing to open or score Oscar nominations for All the Pretty Horses or The Legend of Bagger Vance. Studies reverently at the feet of prominent directors but needs to secure his leading man status. Decision to make amnesia thriller The Bourne Identity (for $10 million) could prove a catapult. Will appear in Ocean's Eleven, followed by his first real hiatus since Good Will Hunting. Yes, it's true: His weight obsession continues unabated. Offered dieting tips to Bourne costar Franka Potente.
Copied the above from May's edition of Premiere Magazine.
(If memory serves, Matt's best bud was placed quite high on the list, on the strength of some high-power movies soon to flood us with super hype.)

Big man on campus.
And thanks are due to the reader who wrote:
I was just wondering if you have seen this college picture of Matt Damon (see right).
Yes, indeed I have seen the photo , but it's always worth seeing again :-) What a cutie he was - and still is.
Kerry sent in the latest Oceans news:
Monday, April 16, 2001
Las Vegas Review-Journal
COLUMN: Shooting Stars
'Ocean's Eleven' ready to wrap production in Las Vegas
And the tide rolls out.
The "Ocean's Eleven" tide, that is.
In Las Vegas since mid-March, the updated casino heist caper is scheduled to wrap production here Wednesday under the direction of "Traffic" Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh.
The countdown got under way late last night -- and extended into the the wee small hours of the morning today -- at McCarran International Airport's taxicab staging area.
The movie's final two days will feature locations at Bellagio, one of three casinos -- The Mirage and the MGM Grand being the others -- targeted by a cheeky band of heistmeisters led by dashing Danny Ocean (George Clooney, who also produces with Jerry Weintraub).
The movie's final Vegas shot is tentatively scheduled to be a grand farewell on the Strip outside Bellagio, where Danny and his gang -- including Dusty Ryan (Brad Pitt), Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle), Linus (Matt Damon), Saul Bloom (Carl Reiner), Frank Catton (Bernie Mac), Virgil and Turk Mallory (Casey Affleck and Scott Caan) and Ruben Tischkoff (Elliott Gould) -- bid a fond farewell and go their separate ways.
After they sing a chorus of "Leaving Las Vegas," the "Ocean's Eleven" troupe spends two days on location in Irvine, Calif., before returning to Los Angeles, where shooting continues through May.
And then the next countdown begins: until Dec. 7, when "Ocean's Eleven" is scheduled to hit theaters.

4/15/01
Easter greetings from Felicity:

Boston Globe article:
Two auteurs in search of a deal
By Hayley Kaufman, 4/15/2001
They are Boston's patron saints of indie film, and I, for one, am getting a little tired of genuflecting. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon -- two talented, gorgeous, loquacious guys from Cambridge who went to Los Angeles with a half-finished script and became Hollywood's golden boys. Then, because they're cool guys who actually care about film, they teamed up with Miramax to launch a talent search called Project Greenlight. The winner, an LA-based filmmaker-to-be by the name of Pete Jones, will see his movie, ''Stolen Summer,'' released this time next year. Budget: $1 million.
That's a pittance by Hollywood standards, but in the indie community, it's a fair amount of dough. Meanwhile, Damon told the Globe last month he hopes their next Project Greenlight search will put a special focus on work by ''women and people of color.''
Well, then. Ben and Matt, meet DeMane Davis, 33, and Khari Streeter, 30, two Boston filmmakers who've been busting their humps for the past five years to critical acclaim and not much else. Surely you know them. Both of their films - 1997's ''Black & White & Red All Over'' and the new ''Lift'' - have screened at Sundance. And Hart Sharp Entertainment, the outfit behind art-house gems ''Boys Don't Cry'' and ''You Can Count on Me,'' came through with just under $3 million to shoot ''Lift'' on location in Boston. Oh, yeah - Streeter went to Cambridge Rindge & Latin with you guys, too.
(article continues and implies that Matt and Ben should support their film...)

The cast of Ocean's Eleven has Easter off and reports have Ben headed to Boston, so there's a reasonable likelihood that Matt will also head east.

A longer story from Tim Moss on his experience with Bagger Vance, from the Indianapolis Star News:
Pro recalls coaching 'Bagger' Damon
Lucky coincidences led Tim Moss to job as technical adviser and teacher for golfing film.
By Steve Slosarek
April 13, 2001
Looking back at that weekend in August 1999, golf pro Tim Moss figures that his stars must have been aligned.
The career golf pro and instructor from Hilton Head, S.C., was minding his own business, tooling around I-465 before exiting onto U.S. 31. He and his wife were taking their only son, T., across the country to start his freshman year at the University of Notre Dame.
"We like to listen to books on tape," Moss, 51, said in an interview last week. "I had been looking for The Legend of Bagger Vance ever since it was published in 1995, but never could find it."
Moss' wife surprised him by suddenly popping in the tape, and the three intently listened to the Steven Pressfield novel about a young golfer who is guided by a mysterious caddie.
After a day in South Bend, Moss received a phone call. His name had been given to one of the producers of an upcoming golf film as a candidate for its technical adviser.
"The fellow said, 'Do you know anything about The Legend of Bagger Vance?' I said, 'Do I ever!' "
By the end of the weekend, Moss had been flown from South Bend to the production office in Savannah, Ga., for an interview. The producers asked if he knew anything about famed golfer Walter Hagen, one of the characters in the yet-to-be-filmed movie.
"I said, 'Do I ever!' " Moss repeated. "T.'s godfather and my good friend, Leo Fraser, toured with Hagen in the 1930s for exhibitions. I had a lot of knowledge about him, including pictures and his autobiography.
"These coincidences seemed like destiny. It was scary."
As Moss was leaving, Robert Redford poked his head in. The famous actor was directing the film.
They talked for 20 minutes, and Moss soon was hired. Within a month, he would begin working with Matt Damon and Will Smith.
Now the stars were aligned with him. Movie stars, that is.
"They told me that my No. 1 priority was to make Matt believable as a golfer," Moss said.
Damon starred as Rannulph Junuh, a golfer who comes back from World War I a broken man and is talked into a once-in-a-lifetime match with Bobby Jones (Joel Gretsch) and Hagen (Bruce McGill).
There was one problem: Damon had never played golf in his life, not even Putt-Putt.
Moss was to give him a month of training at his Belfair Golf Club, in Hilton Head, before shooting began.
"He had just finished All the Pretty Horses," Moss said. "So on the first day, he comes in wearing an All the Pretty Horses cap, a long-sleeve T-shirt, hiking shorts and boots.
"I thought, 'Oh, man, what do we have here?' "
A trip to the pro shop resulted in appropriate golfing clothes, but the task of teaching remained.
Moss gave Damon a choice: Learn to look like a golfer (with computer-generated imagery putting the ball in the hole), or learn to be a golfer.
"He looked at me and said, 'I want to be able to play and beat my dad,' " Moss said.
Damon's father, from Boston, carries a 14 handicap.
So, Moss followed the regimen he had used on thousands of other beginners through the years. Only he had to do it in a matter of weeks, not months or years.
For five hours a day, six days a week, Damon soaked it all in, but not without blisters and obscenities.
"Just like everyone else, he'd skeet one off or accidentally hit the club in the ground," Moss said. "He'd get a little hot, and I'd say, 'You're learning how to talk like a golfer, anyway.' "
Soon, Damon learned to play like one. Of his thousands of pupils, Moss counts Damon as the quickest learner.
"He broke 100 just 65 days after picking up a club," he said.
After a month of one-on-one time, filming commenced at Kiawah Island, S.C. Moss was there to further help Damon as well as Gretsch and McGill, plus serve as technical adviser for anything related to golf.
"It was hard work, but it was the most fun I've ever had in golf," he said.
Hard work? For a technical adviser?
"What turned me upside-down were what they call the short splits," Moss said. "For instance, the scenes on the last hole had fog in it, so we couldn't begin shooting until it was almost dark.
"We'd work from 5 in the afternoon to 4 in the morning. They'd bounce light off a big screen suspended in the air by a crane to make the daylight look constant, and they had these smoke machines for fog.
"We'd have to eat breakfast at 5 p.m., lunch at midnight and dinner at 5 a.m. Then we had to totally reverse the schedule for three or four days, then back again."
All that toiling paid dividends. About six months before the film was released, Redford flew Moss to San Francisco for a production screening of the film. It was Moss' job to look for anything golf-related that didn't look right.
"I was surprised by how good all of Matt's swings looked," Moss said. "And he did it all on very few takes. If he had to make a 25- footer, he'd can it."

San Francisco Film Festival news from the SF Chronicle:
Franka Potente will be here with "The Princess and the Warrior," from the same director, boyfriend Tom Tykwer, who put her through her paces in "Run Lola Run." Language won't be a barrier for the German actress -- in "Blow," Potente proves that not only is she fluent in English, but she can even speak it with a California accent. But the state's smoking restrictions may be a problem. Cigarettes calm her down. "I was so nervous waiting to audition with Matt Damon for 'The Bourne Identity,' I just kept smoking," Potente told me. "Then I thought, 'Oh my God, Matt is American -- he probably doesn't smoke.' So I quickly brushed my teeth, and guess what? Matt walked in and he was smoking." The two shot the Robert Ludlum thriller in Paris, undoubtedly in a cloud of smoke.

Matt greets Julia on the Oceans set.

A clearer version (left) of the Matt and Julia photo is now at this site.
From a Lennox Lewis site:
Last week, Lewis finished training in Las Vegas and spent several days on the set of Oceans Eleven. The Rat-Pack Era Hollywood film is being remade with Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Andy Garcia in starring roles. Steven Soderbergh is directing.
The plot revolves around a plan to rob several Las Vegas casinos coincidental with a city-wide power blackout at the start of a heavyweight championship fight. Initially, the producers wanted to cast Lewis against Mike Tyson. But there were fears that Iron Mike might not show; or worse, that he would show and the make-believe fight would become real. Thus, Lewis was put in the ring with WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko.
All of this led to an unscripted scene last Thursday afternoon, when Lennox was in the make-up trailer, chatting animatedly with Matt Damon and Julia Roberts. Klitschko walked into the trailer. Dead silence followed. No one said a word. Wladimir stood by awkwardly, with Lewis following his every move in the mirror.
Finally, Roberts spoke. "Have you two guys fought each other?" she queried.
"Not yet," Klitschko answered.
"Actually, Lewis told her, "the fight just began.
Continuing that theme of Matt being friendly with everyone, he's now talking to the boxers!
The latest issue of Star Magazine has a story on Julia and George, apparently with more Oceans photos.
There's a couple of Oceans 11 set reports on AICN, but nothing much new (Matt seen at the poker tables):

Matt being shown by best bud how to salute.
Here's another cute photo (see right). I've got a series of about seven different shots of Matt and Ben (two different magazines) in varied poses, but this gives you a fair idea.
It's clearly of Ben showing Matt how to salute after attending training for Pearl Harbor. Shot in LA about mid last year, it looks to be outside their office.

4/13/01

We are in luck. Felicity has acquired a scanner. Here are a couple of photos from the Oceans 11 pics that appeared in an Australian magazine.
We heard from a Big Matt fan:
(T)here was a recent reference to Matt and Ben on Showtime's "Queer As Folk." On the show, one of the characters was videotaping two of his friends as they stood in his apartment. One of them said in annoyance, "What are we? Matt Damon and Ben Affleck?" The other answered, "We wish." Given that all the characters are gay, it's possible that the reference is a comment on their sexuality. However, it could just be a general note about their movie star status. Just another example of how the pair have permeated popular culture.

4/12/01

A scene from Bourne Identity

Thank you, Silvy, for sending this in:
The Talented Mr. 'Bourne'
By John Freeman Gill
April 2001
Itï¿½s the morning after, and new lovers Matt Damon and Franka Potente, hiding out in a fleabag hotel in a skeezy corner of Paris, are in very different moods. Potente (Run Lola Run), casually beautiful in a T-shirt and blue boxers, emanates bed warmth and intimacy, while Damon is already fully dressed and borderline paranoid. As she slips into the bathroom, he compulsively rubs her fingerprints off the door frameï¿½but the instant his back is turned, she sneaks another print onto the very spot heï¿½s just wiped clean. Her irreverent gesture is unscripted, and the crew erupts into laughter.
Potente and Damonï¿½s fingerprints are all over The Bourne Identity, Universalï¿½s $50 millionï¿½plus adaptation of Robert Ludlumï¿½s best-selling 1980 spy novel. The stars are ï¿½involved in rewriting everything that happens to them,ï¿½ says director and coproducer Doug Liman (Swingers, Go). After all, he adds, ï¿½Matt did win an Academy Award for screenwriting.ï¿½
Damon plays Jason Bourne, a man salvaged, near death, from rough seas by an Italian fishing-boat crew. When he comes to, he suffers from amnesia, though his facility with martial arts and languages hints at a violent past of international intrigue. With the help of Marie (Potente), a woman he meets in Zurich, Bourne begins a breathless search to discover who he is and why Europeï¿½s most talented assassins have been sent to finish him off.
Liman credits Damon with helping him decide to shoot a sharper, more character-driven finale to the film, rather than the gaudily explosive version he had been planning. ï¿½Matt said, ï¿½Just because you can spend all that money doesnï¿½t mean you should. I thought you were making a cooler movie than this.ï¿½ I said, ï¿½You know what? Youï¿½re right.ï¿½ ï¿½ Out went the shoot-ï¿½em-up Paris chase scene, with its bullet-riddled Mï¿½tro car and exploding chicken shop; in came a more suspenseful gunfight at a remote farmhouse.
Limanï¿½s collaborative approach encouraged spontaneity. ï¿½
Thereï¿½s this scene where they find a land lady with a bullet in her head,ï¿½ Potente says. ï¿½And I thought, ï¿½Marie must be so stressed out. Sheï¿½d puke all over the place!ï¿½ Doug thought it was great.ï¿½ But the loss of Potenteï¿½s lunch was far from the only casualty on the film. ï¿½Doug has an accident every day,ï¿½ laughs Damon, who watched his director nearly get dragged off a fishing boat after entangling his foot in a fishnet. ï¿½Around lunch Iï¿½ll say, ï¿½Have you had your accident today?ï¿½ And if he hasnï¿½t had it yet, Iï¿½ll get really worried. But good things always seem to come out of his artistic accidents.ï¿½
Source: Premiere magazine
Felicity's finds:
- Strange item from the Review Journal Wednesday:
  Gunfire interrupts Damon's round of golf at Shadow Creek
  Gunfire sent "Ocean's 11" star Matt Damon scrambling for cover at Shadow Creek Golf Course on Monday -- but it was not part of a script.
  Damon, an Oscar winner four years ago, was playing with John Lodge of the Moody Blues on the 16th hole when they heard shots fired nearby, according to a tipster.
  Both Damon and Lodge dived into bushes.
  North Las Vegas police were not contacted about the gunfire at the golf course until an hour after the incident. Police logs show they were called about a "434" (illegal shooting) at the course at 7:18 p.m.
  The person reporting the incident said five or six shots had been fired an hour earlier. The person who called said he had checked the property and didn't find anything suspicious.
  The source said "Ocean's 11" producer Jerry Weintraub set up the golf match.
  Lodge, an original of the Moody Blues, composed the group's hit "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock And Roll Band)."
  Calls to "Ocean's 11" representatives were not returned.
- I've found a site of a fan's pics of her meeting with Matt and photos of the Bourne Identity filming in Paris.
  Also one at here.
  And her story of meeting Matt:
  How I Met Matt Damon in Paris!
  by Tracy Galloway
  I was sure lucky to meet him. He was filming a movie in Paris when I was visiting there back in late November. I was standing there watching them film a scene. French security was everywhere. I talked one the security guards into letting me cross the line. I did! Then I walked right up to Matt Damon and said "Hiya, my name is Tracy, nice to meet you."
  I said, "I came all the way from California so you would have someone to talk to that didnï¿½t have an accent." He laughed. I got my camera out and said, "Hey, can someone take our picture?"
  He took my camera, handed it to the director and said, "This is a world famous director, I am sure he can handle a still camera." And then he put his arm around me and... snap... snap... the director took two pictures.
  I said thank you and then I went to the Louvre.
  Cute... The article's from a backgammon page
The report about the gunfire at the golf course is from the April 11 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Thank you, Kari, for sending in the article as well.
Also from Kari:
Las Vegas Sun, Kate Maddox Column, April 10, 2001 "Ocean's 11" will shut down the Crazy Horse Too this week, and the producers paid a hefty price for the opportunity. The contract to have the strip club closed to the public reportedly cost the movie company around $100,000 -- about one day's worth of revenue for the business. But the trade-off is limitless in the exposure department. What I mean is, "Ocean's 11" will no doubt be a box-office heavy when it's finally released. The scene centers on Brad Pitt, whose character has been given a club VIP card.

4/11/01

Thank you, Kari, for sending this tidbit in:
From Entertainment Weekly Oscar issue - April 6, 2001 I read this last week and kept expecting it to show up on your page, but it didn't. I thought I'd send it along.
Discussing the Oscars: "And then there were those who made the ultimate sacrifice and stayed home, at least for part of the ceremony. Matt Damon watched his buddy Ben Affleck present a clip from Ben's house. "We had a few people over," Damon confessed at the Vanity Fair party."

News from Felicity:

Oceans update: filming moves from Vegas to LA from 18 April, with most shooting at the Warners Bros studio, and is scheduled to continue until 31 May.
On the Oceans photos: I'm looking at buying a scanner this week so the photos could be up by Saturday (if it works). The photo of Matt playing basketball is funny because I interpret it as Matt trying to mimic DiCaprio. I've seen various shots of Leo in similar poses (and outfits), and I've even looked at Leo sites trying to find a shot (all for the cause!), to no avail.
To assist in visualisation, it's Matt in white T-shirt and black pants, with a baseball cap on backwards, looking serious.
The photo with Julia is much sweeter: both she and Matt are smiling warmly, and they're caught about to hug or kiss, arms around each other. Matt's wearing the turtleneck, brown jacket and very short hair.
More Oceans filming news:
Garcia and Damon filmed scenes on the Bellagio casino-floor on Sunday the 8th of April also featuring celebrity impersonators i.e. Michael Jackson etc
From Corona film listings updates on the Oceans 11 shooting - fight scene:
"Later on, during the first day, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, and Gus Van Zant all showed up even though they weren't in the fight scene. They just kinda hung out and chatted with one another. When Julia Roberts came over, it was hugs and kisses all around.

Who's Gus planning to work with - Matt or Casey? Gus' next project seems to be called 'Sarah', and it's about street hustlers, told through the POV of a twelve-year old boy. Not overly appropriate for either Casey or Matt. The author of the original book to be adapted is JT Leroy, who interviewed Gus for Paper magazine, December 2000:

JTL: So did Good Will Hunting really change Hollywood's perception of you?

GVS: Yeah. Good Will Hunting changed everything for me. And for Ben [Affleck] and Matt [Damon]. For all three of us, I think. It changed our lives, you know.

JTL: Tell that story that you told me about being with Matt.

GVS: [Laughs] Yeah, well, when we were making Good Will Hunting there was a period of time when we shot the film and were editing it, and we really thought it was coming out well. I was pretty positive that it was gonna make the two leads, Ben and Matt, into some kind of standout actors. There was one moment when I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard with Matt at night, and I probably was playing with him a little bit. I knew that as an actor he was wondering whether he would ever get to the point where people actually would recognize him; it's something that happens if you're an actor, or something that occurs to you. I said, "You know, probably after two months you won't be able to walk down the street like this. People will gather around, and they'll point at you."

JTL: How did he react?

GVS: He didn't know whether I was kidding or not. And I was kind of kidding, but was serious at the same time. And it actually came about that way. So that he was stalked in airports and stuff. Which is probably not that fun anyway after it starts to happen.

JTL: Do you prefer the perception of you now? The respect now?

GVS: When I first read Good Will Hunting, I just thought, this is perfect. You know, everything is perfectly in place. Even when films are made to be like Good Will Hunting -- you know they're supposed to be mainstream feel-good movies -- they aren't written perfectly. They're written kind of halfway. You could just film the script that I was reading, and it would be fine. And one of the things that was attractive was that it wasn't anything I'd done before. I had this profile of being a renegade weirdo. Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho and To Die For were my three films -- oh, and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Cowgirls was more like the box office disappointment, so I had a sort of bad-boy profile.

4/9/01 The unbelievable Felicity sent this note on:

The photo (of Matt being kissed by two beauties, shown above): (the one on the left is) Kate Driver, Minnie's sister at the Boston premiere of GWH. The site where the photos come from one belonging to the father of Derek, a friend of M&B. Photos from Oscar night, including ones taken at Ben's house with the Boston crowd, are at http://www.inmet.com/~milos/oscar.html
Australian NW magazine has come through again - two pages of photos from the Oceans Eleven shoot in Vegas.
There's a new pic of Matt playing basketball against Andy Garcia and Don Cheadle, and one of him hugging Julia affectionately.
I've written to one of the George Clooney sites, so I expect an alert to go out and the photos to be scanned shortly.

4/8/01
In spite of being busy with work, Felicity took time to sent these in:

From the Boston Globe:
Birthday greetings
Harvard senior Megan Koch, 22, got a birthday surprise recently when a pal of her dad's (Sam Adams beermeister Jim Koch) phoned in from LA. The caller, Matt Damon, asked Koch how her senior thesis was going (that boy is so polite!) and reminisced about an old girlfriend of his, who lived in Radcliffe's Currier House and is no doubt bragging these days that ''The Legend of Bagger Vance'' is really about her.
***
Sam Adams is a sponsor of Greenlight. BV story is just a little misplaced!
A second version of the Westlife (pop band) meeting from a fan site:
On the flight from New York to LA Bryan met another couple of stars: hot Hollywood couple Matt Damon and Winona Ryder. Bryan was told by one of the air hostesses that the couple were on the plane travelling in first class so Bryan asked her to get him their autographs. Imagine Bryan's surprise when Matt Damon not only asked for Bryan to come up and say 'hi' but also wanted Bryan's autograph for his niece!
And to continue the 'nice' theme:
From a professional autograph collector: Celebrities: Well since I have met a TON of celebs in person, I have to admit my favorites are influenced by how nice they are to me in person. Some of my favorites (some of which who know me by name) are: Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon.
From the autograph kid site. There are 3 pics of Matt signing photos - 2 on the GWH set: http://www.autographkid.com/damon.htm Matt is one of the nicest celebrities we've encountered. He has a lot of fun signing and talking with fans! He's a true star who hasn't let fame "go to his head."
***
I've seen versions of this before, from Autograph Magazine's list of the best 10 celebrity signers. Firstly, August 1999:
3. Matt Damon What a sweetie - downright adorable, and a great signer to boot! Matt loves to mingle with collectors, signing up a storm and enjoying every minute of it. That's what it's all about, Matt!
And he moved up one place in the 2000 report (only behind James Woods!) 2 . MATT DAMON Matt is without a doubt the best signer of the "Young Hollywood" crowd. While most young stars develop attitudes after a while, Matt only seems to get nicer as time goes on. Although his girlfriend Winona Ryder remains one of the worst signers in Hollywood, Matt has quickly established himself as one of the best.
Although he didn't sign at this year's Golden Globes, Matt showed collectors it was only a momentary lapse by signing for about 20 minutes after appearing on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno the following week. Matt is more than willing to sign multiples, and collectors have heard him say that he is glad to help if someone can make money off his signed photos. As long as he keeps up his great attitude, Matt will always be near the top in our book.

4/5/01

Kelly (MattDamonFanPage.com) wrote:
Bored? Board!
Wanted to let you know of a neat Matt Damon Bulletin Board that seems to be growing more and more. It's part of the EFanGuide Network and can be found here
Kari wrote:
- from darkhorizons.com
  friday april 6, 2001
  NATO Report: No, not that NATO but rather the National Association of Theatre Owners who just had a big conference and here's a summary from 'McFeets': "The currently in-production 'Bourne Identity' with Matt Damon was confirmed as the first part of a planned trilogy. The 'Jurassic Park 3' trailer was shown and it was amazing! Final Fantasy released on July 11 will have the first teaser to Spiderman, FOX also wants to revive the 'Apes' franchise". Thanks to 'McFeets'.
- Monday, April 02, 2001
  Las Vegas Review-Journal
  (Carol Cling) COLUMN: Shooting Stars
  'Ocean's Eleven' turns to boxing story line
  In real life, heavyweights Lennox Lewis and Vladimir Klitschko have yet to square off in the ring.
  In reel life, however, they'll be trading punches this week -- as part of the action in "Ocean's Eleven."
  The pivotal boxing match provides cover for the title crew's caper, a robbery of the MGM Grand, The Mirage and Bellagio. (Treasure Island, which had been reported as a heist target in previous Shooting Stars columns, is not a part of the "Ocean's Eleven" action, according to MGM Mirage officials.)
  The movie match will shoot Thursday and Friday at the MGM Grand Garden. On Saturday, moviemakers may take advantage of crowds gathered at the Garden for the "Playing With Fire" bout between Prince Naseem Hamed vs. Marco Antonio Barrera.
  Unlike the original "Ocean's Eleven" heist -- in which the Rat Pack robbed five Las Vegas casinos on New Year's Eve --the update's version will be staged against the excitement of the title fight.
  Lewis holds the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles, while Klitschko is the World Boxing Organization champ.
  Before they meet in the movie ring, however, the two champions had their first cinematic encounter last week at a mock pre-fight press conference.
  There, they triggered the movie's make-believe implosion of New York-New York in a scene that also featured "Ocean's Eleven" stars Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts, a newly anointed Oscar-winner.
  At the shoot, Klitschko also accepted congratulations from "Ocean's Eleven" stars George Clooney and Matt Damon for his March 24 victory over Derrick Jefferson. (Lewis' next fight is scheduled April 21 in South Africa.)
  For Ukrainian-born Vladimir, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, and his older brother Vitali -- a fellow heavyweight who plays his corner man in the movie, just as he does in real life -- "Ocean's Eleven" represents a chance to raise their public profile, according to Bernhard Bonte, the brothers' public relations manager.
  "They're superstars in Germany and Europe," he says. "But their dream is to become popular in the States."
  Doing so in a high-profile movie presents an ideal opportunity, Bonte adds.
  "They are both into the movie business -- at least as fans," he notes. And now, as supporting players.
  Aside from the boxing match and a scene at an MGM Grand suite, most of this week's "Ocean's Eleven" action is scheduled to center on Bellagio, the movie's main casino locale.
  If you'd like to get into the action, "Ocean's Eleven" will hold a final open call for extras who haven't yet registered, from 10 a.m. to noon today at 3155 W. Harmon Ave. Bring a small photo; on-street parking only.
  Rich King, extras casting director for "Ocean's Eleven," needs about 2,000 background players -- all older than 18, "because we're going to work into the night" Thursday and Friday at the MGM Grand Garden, he says.

4/5/01

From Felicity:

First glimpse of "Oceans 11"
- Here's a photo of Matt and George on the set of Oceans in Vegas. It's from the British Sun newspaper, and if the page has updated by the time you look at it, go to the 'archived columns' section.
  If this site has photos, other sources should have more later in the week (and hopefully, better shots than this one). This one could join the recent shots of Matt/Ben and Matt/Winona in caption competitions.
- And in response to the reader on Mei-Ling's site: there was talk in the press interviews about a longer cut available on DVD at some point in the future. However, it was also mentioned that Billy Bob wouldn't really have the time to put a cut together, and that a significant amount of work would be required on behalf of himself and the editors. Unfortunately, I don't think the longer version will be made available for quite some time - BB has been working consistently and has a long list of upcoming projects. And as the movie wasn't "successful", there will be little commercial benefit in releasing another version, other than for its curiosity value.
- From the Boston Globe:
  Green gamer
  The Masters begins this week in Augusta, Ga., and ''The Legend of Bagger Vance,'' the golf lover's golf movie, comes out today on DVD. We contacted ''Vance'' golf advisr Tim Moss, the pro at Hilton Head, to see if ''Bagger Vance'' star Matt Damon could compete with the big boys. ''When we first started working, I asked Matt if he wanted to just pretend to be a golfer and let the computer boys work their magic, or did he want me to teach him the game,'' said Moss from the South Carolina resort. ''He learned the game. He worked hard very day. He got blisters. I promised him he would be able to break 100. He didn't care about his score - he just wanted to beat his dad.'' Has he? ''No,'' said Moss. ''They came down here, and his father, Kent Damon,] who like Matt is a terrific athlete, beat him.''
- And from Jam, an interview today with Franka Potente:
  Potente has already completed her second high-profile America film starring opposite Matt Damon in Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity.
  "I like the role very much because I am neither an action hero or the girl clinging to the guy's chest. She is just an ordinary person from the street who gets caught up in the man's dilemma.
  "Matt's character has amnesia."
  She was happy to report that she "doesn't run in any of the big chase sequences in the movie. Matt gets to do all the running this time."
  Potente admits she was initially nervous about working with such American superstars as Depp and Damon.
  "Matt is really super. He's so normal. He came (to Prague) with a duffel bag and a few CDs. I had six suitcases.
  "We went out to clubs together. Matt took the metro instead of cabs or using a limo and he never wore sunglasses to disguise himself."
  Full interview at http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMovies/apr4_franka-sun.html
- And in another Bourne note, here's the description of Clive Owen's character: an ambivalent villain. That's got real promise if it's not treated as a one-line joke. To keep the theme going, I found this snippet from the notes of Ryan Eanes (NY Matt fan)
  27 February 2001
  Shooting for The Bourne Identity concluded on 23 February 2001. I spoke with director Doug Liman who seemed happy that the film was finally done and ready to be cut, but a little worried that it may have been rushed. "We worked on it for almost exactly a year to the day," he said. The cast and crew is all safely back in New York, as I later spotted Matt Damon while spending some time in Times Square.
One of Matt's best photos.
Diane wrote:
On Comingsoon.net they have two new pictures from Ocean's 11. I can't scan them in so check out the site!
(Diane: many thanks. The one pic showing Matt with Clooney is the same one sent in by Felicity - the other does not have Matt in it.)
A reader wrote:
These are a couple of my all-time favorite Matt pictures... I just thought I'd share. I'm sure you've seen them, but can we get enough?! I nominate this one (right) for Best Hair:
(The other is the feature photo of the day, at top of this page.)

Kelly (mattdamonfanpage.com) wrote:

...I was surprised that nothing was mentioned about the Legend of Bagger Vance DVD which came out in the States Tuesday. I got my copy a few days ago and had a chance to review all of the special features, if you can call them that. Apparently the better a movie does at the box office, the more special features it will have when realeased on DVD. Since LBV did pretty bad at box offices here all we get on the DVD are about 8 minutes worth of "special features." First we have a 4-minute commentary by director Robert Redford that doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know. During the commentary you are treated to a slideshow of images from the film and/or of the filming process. The other special feature is a 3-minute interview section with some film footage of different cast members sharing their thoughts on the movie. We do also get production notes, which give a good summary of the movie. And we get cast and crew bios which are fairly thourough. ... As for the movie itself, I believe I enjoyed it more watching it this second time around. If you keep in mind that this is a modern-day fairy tale, and you realize that golf is just an analogy for life then any one of us can put ourselves in Matt Damon's role and realize that we've lost our swing at one time or another. We can only hope that a Bagger Vance will walk into our lives and help us find our own authentic swing.
(Indeed I knew nothing about the LBV DVD release - sigh, when you hot, you'r hot, when you're not, you're not. LBV (and I bet ATPH) will not be released on DVD/video with much fanfare, I suppose.
It looks like Mr. Nice Guy, Matt Damon, is going to be doing a lot of killing this summer. From his cameo scene in JSBSB to an assassin in The Bourne Identity, and then a gangster-type in Ocean's 11.
By the way, NewsAskew reports that filming is finished for Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.

4/4/01

Felicity's great finds, as usual:
- A new version of the 'Daredevil' script is given a rave review by Harry Knowles on AICN. His first choice for the role is Matt (as has been mentioned many times previously), and it's not as far-fetched as it seems. Although it may be too similar to Spiderman (and could be released within a year or so), the script actually looks quite involving, dramatic and fun. The one concern is the director (and screenwriter) Mark Steven Johnson, but it does have an interesting premise. And Matt is a fan. Taken from the review and with comments by Harry:
  On the first page of the script, towards the bottom it reads: "So forget what you know about superheroes. Because this is the real world. And in the real world there is no such thing as mutant healing factors or adamantium skeletons to keep a man alive. In the real world there's just a guy in a mask."
  "And he's bleeding to death."
  That's the tone of this entire script. Punches leave bruises, missing teeth, broken ribs. Swords leave bleeding gut wounds and when parents die.. The young cry and are lost and alone. I don't know who Mark is going to cast as DD, but I hope it is an actor with the chops to give this character the charisma, angst, sorrow, heroism and despair that is needed to make us love, pity and fear DAREDEVIL. Reading this, it is hard not to imagine someone like Matt Damon or Guy Pearce or Ed Norton becoming the man without fear. but I just hope whoever plays this role brings to the table the talent and the vision that Mark Steven Johnson brought to the page. I'm blown completely away by this script. and pray that it is shown the utmost respect and backing that it needs to become what it is.
- If you want to know more about Daredevil, there's a good site According to the site Matt was interested in playing the lead back in 1998, and stated he was a fan of the comics, but there's no original source of that news - it's just hearsay, seemingly coming from Zentertanment on 18 May 1998: Sources tell ZEN a feature film based upon the MARVEL Comics blind superhero DAREDEVIL is in development at DISNEY, and Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting) is dying to play the part. Writer/director Mark Steven Johnson (A Small Miracle, Frost, Grumpy Old Men) is attached to the film.
  A quote from Kevin Smith in May 2000: "I worked on the comic and then at one point the comic was up for grabs and I called up Bob and Harvey and said, 'There's this great comic book. It'd be perfect for [Matt Damon] and he's familiar with it and he used to collect the comic and you could get Robert Rodriguez to direct it and I'll do a draft.'
  (Visit) the upcoming movies site.
- And from a Jam article with Penelope: During the Damon rumours, Cruz was a bit flirtatious neither denying nor confirming the affair. Now she admits that was a foolish mistake.
  "Matt and I were only ever great friends and he is still one of my best friends.
  "I became famous in Spain when I was 17 and I made it a rule even then not to talk about my private life and I won't break that rule now just to put these rumours to rest. Just because we are actors, it doesn't give anyone the right to ask who we sleep with. It is such an absurd invasion of our privacy which is why actors lie so much about their private lives. It's our way of getting back."
  ...She says there was a different kind of energy but no less intensity working with Cruise.
  "It's hard to describe the kind of energy that comes from people like Matt Damon, Nicolas Cage, Johnny Depp and Tom Cruise. "They are so dedicated to their acting that they make their movie sets exciting to be on."
And a reader wrote:
As a huge matt fan and daily visitor of your site I thought I'd share a RUMOR I heard. Perhaps you can confirm this: I heard that two versions of All the pretty horses would come to DVD. First out the plain version then later in the year a more complete version(director's cut) with commentaries, etc would be coming out. As a DVD fan this seems very possible what with Dogma Special Edition due out this summer and the orignal having been on DVD for some time already. I also remember Billy Bob saying how much he wanted to show HIS entire cut of the movie. Well I just thought that I would share this rumor.

4/3/01
My mailbox was bulging at the seams - thanks to everyone!

Felicity sent in a note with major SPOILERS . Skip if you don't want to have your Oceans or the Silent Bob movie spoiled. You have been warned.
- From CHUD (really big spoilers to Matt's role):
  The Kid, CHUD's own scooper deep within the Hollywood elite, has emerged from the land of silicone boobs and cgi to deliver a report straight from the set of Kevin Smith's magnum opus, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
  We all knew Chris Rock was in this one, but did you know what his role is? He's the director of the Bluntman and Chronic movie, and the Kid tells us he has a great speech where he rails about how the white man has stolen from black culture for years. He goes on about how HE had the idea for Sesame Street and it was stolen from him - except his show was called NWP - Niggaz Wit Puppets.
  Last week CHUD told you that Matt Damon was indeed playing Will Hunting in this movie - but the Kid has more details. It turns out that we visit the set of Good Will Hunting 2 (the logo for the movie has the O's replaced with sniper sites), and it is a recreation of the bar scene from the original. You remember the scene where Matt Damon meets Minnie Driver, and the preppy college kid is trying to put Ben Affleck down, and Will smacks him up with his knowledge? Well, the scene is here, and the Kid swears they got EVERYONE from that scene in the original back for this one (except Minnie Driver). This time, things are a little different, though - when the preppy guy asks Will if he wants to take this outside, Will whips out a gun and blows him away.
  The Kid tells us that almost every scene in this movie references another movie in some way. There's even an ET scene - Jay and Bob are being chased by studio security guards. They have a monkey with them (Suzanne, from the end of Mallrats?). The two come upon a bike, put the monkey in the basket, throw a blanket over her, and fly off.
  Finally, the Kid reports that everyone was having a great time - especially Kevin Smith, who he heard say that this would be his last Askewniverse film.. at least for a while. Hmmm....
- Dark Horizons Monday:
  Ocean's Eleven: 'Baba' has this truly great report about the filming on Steve Soderbergh's remake which has been utilising the Vegas hotel 'The Bellagio' for a lot of scenes:
  "This remake of the 1960 rat pack movie has taken over the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, and I have been here to see almost all of the filming. They close off huge sections at a time, so that has to cost a pretty penny. The employees have all become extra's and there have been like 500 extra's every day for the floor scenes. All of the cast has been here filming here, with different parts of the cast every day. The cast all stays on set, talk to the big crowds, and are very social. Julia just started filming here yesterday. Apparently the story of this remake goes that Danny Ocean (Clooney) has been in prison in New Jersey for three years for fraud. When he gets out, his wife, Tess Ocean, (Julia Roberts) has divorced him while he was in the big house, and married the Evil Casino shark,Terry Benidict in (Andy Garcia) in Las Vegas.
  Garcia plays the owner of the three largest Casino's in Las Vegas. The MGM, The MIRAGE, and the Bellagio. Apparently, twice a year, all of the money from his casino's is stored in a giant Vault underneath the ground in a vault that is connected by tunnels to all three casino's. Clooney want's to rob this money to bankrupt Bennidict and get Julia Back. They plan to rob the casino's during a big fight night between Heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis and some Russian guy (it was originally Mike Tyson, but I heard that he couldn't be dealt with so the dropped him). While everyone in town is watching the fight of the century, these 11 guys are lifting 200 million in cash from Garcia.
  Brad Pitt has a hair cut like in the movie Seven. He was also in a scene where he wore a black wig and glasses as he wheeled out Carl Reiner on a stretcher through the casino. From what the crew says, this will be very much in the MI2 and Charile's Angels robbery scenes form - lots of very high tech toys, and lots scenes where timing is everything.
  An example is that Matt Damon who is the pick pocket, has to steal the code key from the one guy who has it, and get into the vault before an hour because the codes change every hour, then pass a retina scan when only a real eye will do, then get in a vault that is filled with moving laser beams, that will trip an alarm. Guards everywhere, and video monitors as well. And seizmic monitors that pick up a car going over a speed bump 100 feet up. Stuff like that."
- And the latest from Vegas:
  'Ocean's Eleven' turns to boxing story line
  Carol Cling
  Las Vegas Review Journal
  4/2/01
  In real life, heavyweights Lennox Lewis and Vladimir Klitschko have yet to square off in the ring. In reel life, however, they'll be trading punches this week -- as part of the action in "Ocean's Eleven."
  The pivotal boxing match provides cover for the title crew's caper, a robbery of the MGM Grand, The Mirage and Bellagio. (Treasure Island, which had been reported as a heist target in previous Shooting Stars columns, is not a part of the "Ocean's Eleven" action, according to MGM Mirage officials.)
  The movie match will shoot Thursday and Friday at the MGM Grand Garden. On Saturday, moviemakers may take advantage of crowds gathered at the Garden for the "Playing With Fire" bout between Prince Naseem Hamed vs. Marco Antonio Barrera.
  Unlike the original "Ocean's Eleven" heist -- in which the Rat Pack robbed five Las Vegas casinos on New Year's Eve --the update's version will be staged against the excitement of the title fight.
  Lewis holds the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles, while Klitschko is the World Boxing Organization champ.
  Before they meet in the movie ring, however, the two champions had their first cinematic encounter last week at a mock pre-fight press conference.
  There, they triggered the movie's make-believe implosion of New York-New York in a scene that also featured "Ocean's Eleven" stars Andy Garcia and Julia Roberts, a newly anointed Oscar-winner.
  At the shoot, Klitschko also accepted congratulations from "Ocean's Eleven" stars George Clooney and Matt Damon for his March 24 victory over Derrick Jefferson. (Lewis' next fight is scheduled April 21 in South Africa.)
  For Ukrainian-born Vladimir, a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, and his older brother Vitali -- a fellow heavyweight who plays his corner man in the movie, just as he does in real life -- "Ocean's Eleven" represents a chance to raise their public profile, according to Bernhard Bonte, the brothers' public relations manager.
  "They're superstars in Germany and Europe," he says. "But their dream is to become popular in the States."
  Doing so in a high-profile movie presents an ideal opportunity, Bonte adds.
  "They are both into the movie business -- at least as fans," he notes. And now, as supporting players.
  Aside from the boxing match and a scene at an MGM Grand suite, most of this week's "Ocean's Eleven" action is scheduled to center on Bellagio, the movie's main casino locale.
  If you'd like to get into the action, "Ocean's Eleven" will hold a final open call for extras who haven't yet registered, from 10 a.m. to noon today at 3155 W. Harmon Ave. Bring a small photo; on-street parking only.
  Rich King, extras casting director for "Ocean's Eleven," needs about 2,000 background players -- all older than 18, "because we're going to work into the night" Thursday and Friday at the MGM Grand Garden, he says.
Kari also sent in the Oceans articles mentioned in Felicity's finds, thanks just the same, Kari.

4/2/01

Thank you, Felicity, as always, for these findings:
- Quick update - another pic of Matt and Puffy at the VF party
- From the Las Vegas Review Journal:
  Tidal wave of Oscars hits 'Ocean's Eleven' cast
  It was Oscar night at the Bellagio, with the dancing fountains playing second fiddle to a galaxy of stars.
  Cast and crew of "Ocean's Eleven" gathered Thursday night in the Bellagio's Fontana Room to honor its trio of Oscar winners.
  Amid oversized ice and chocolate Oscars and tuxedo-clad servers, Julia Roberts, Steven Soderbergh and Stephen Mirrione took turns at the microphone, thanking and toasting their colleagues for Sunday's golden harvest at the Academy Awards.
  Roberts won best actress honors for "Erin Brockovich," Soderbergh for directing "Traffic" and Mirrione for editing "Traffic." All three are involved in "Ocean's Eleven." Soderbergh missed the Hollywood Oscar soirees because he had to be back on the set in Las Vegas on Monday morning.
  During the party, producer Jerry Weintraub credited Matt Damon with the best line of the night when he noted that "Ocean's Eleven" went from having one Oscar winner -- Damon, who shared the best screenwriting award in 1998 with Ben Affleck for "Good Will Hunting" -- to four overnight.
  Roberts wore a long-sleeved jersey featuring Soderbergh's face on the front. On the back, in rhinestone letters, was the word "melange," the definition of which is "a mixture of incongruous elements."
  About 150 VIPs, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Elliott Gould and Damon, attended the Bellagio-catered feast of caviar, Peking duck, lamb, sushi and champagne. The bash raged into the early morning, thanks to the fact that the cast and crew didn't have to report to work until 4:30 p.m. Friday. Greeting the revelers as they arrived was Olympic no-hit pitcher Lori Harrigan, decked out in a tux, a switch from her usual Bellagio security uniform.
- Also in the column - sightings:
  Julia Roberts and Matt Damon, working out at Gold's Gym at Eastern and Serene last week...
- A photo link too good to pass up: Matt and Winona at the Vanity Fair party, from People Online. It does look like there's another person in the group, but they didn't show who. But both do look happy. http://people.aol.com/people/spc/oscars2001/party/photo10.html
  (Pic shown above)
- The new Us Weekly magazine is meant to have eight pages of photos from the Vanity Fair bash (none on the site).
- One report from Vegas today: George, Julia, Matt and Andy Garcia on the top of one building supposedly watching the implosion of a casino (to be added in by CGI later). What's interesting is that Matt wasn't supposed to have any scenes with Julia - maybe he's been added in.
- And if you need some reminders of Bourne Identity, the official site has put up a fairly simple screensaver. www.bourneidentity.com
A Big Matt Fan wrote:
Just a few photos from the latest Entertainment Weekly: one goofy one of Matt and Ben, one familiar but captioned one of Matt & Winona.
(Pics are shown above).
Stacey sent in the same pics:
The following pics were featured in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. I'd like to know what Matt and Winona were talking about that cause the shocking look on her face! (pic 2) Enjoy!

3/29/01

Felicity's finds:
- There's footage of arrivals at the VF party on www.popcorn.co.uk, and a tiny snippet of Matt.
- EW is running the Matt as Will Hunting story on their website today.
  From Liz Smith's column:
  WORLDS COLLIDED when Winona Ryder and Penelope Cruz ran into one another. ï¿½I would love to talk to you,ï¿½ said Winona. ï¿½I would love to talk to you, too!ï¿½ said Penelope. Matt Damon looked on. He once dated Ryder and has been romantically linked to Cruz, though both inï¿½ sisted they were ï¿½just friends.ï¿½
  Apparently, Matt is still pals with these women, who would be nuts not to stay friendly with such a genuine soul . . .
- From the SF Chronicle's column by Leah Garchik:
  Ben Affleck chatted up Lucy Liu; Matt Damon made nice to Anthony Hopkins.
- People online:
  Elsewhere at the bash, Penelope Cruz caught up with her "All the Pretty Horses" costar Matt Damon and the two whispered together for several minutes amid the boisterous crowd. She then took photos with "Almost Famous" screenplay winner Cameron Crowe and later stood waiting for her limo outside the restaurant with her pal Ben Affleck.
- A different version of the same quote from Julia Stiles (note changed emphasis on the first word, and his involvement in re-writes):
  You've just worked with Matt Damon on 'The Bourne Identity'? How was that? He was wonderful. I did 'The Bourne Identity' for a week and I got to go to Prague which was an interesting experience, and Matt Damon is so nice and really intelligent. I was sort of blown away by the way he looks at scripts and characters. He was very nice to me, too. I think he was under a lot of pressure because this is really his movie and they were in the process of rewriting the ending, and he was very much a part of that. He was really focused on his work. I was really impressed with the way he handles himself. But it was really fun for me, because I just got to go in and be a CIA operative and have a fight scene. I get killed. Oh, wait...
- From the Las Vegas Review Journal: Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia and Matt Damon drew big crowds during "Ocean's Eleven" scenes at the Bellagio on Tuesday. ...
- Also in the column:
  Soderbergh has scant time to savor Oscar conquest
  It might have been the shortest Oscar celebration ever.
  
  Steven Soderbergh, awarded the Best Director Academy Award on Sunday night, was back on the set of "Ocean's Eleven" on Monday.
  A belated party was held at the Las Vegas Country Club after wrapping Monday's shooting. Soderbergh, who won for "Traffic" and saw Julia Roberts win Best Actress for "Erin Brockovich," another film directed by Soderbergh, got a rousing ovation from George Clooney, Carl Reiner and Elliott Gould and crew when presented a cake that read "Steven Soderbergh Best Director 2001."
  The scene at the country club involved Clooney, Reiner and Gould in a haberdashery. Roberts arrives Thursday for a scene involving the computer-generated implosion of New York-New York.
Reader C. wrote:
Hi - I'd like to submit my 2-cents worth on the great hair debate. I much prefer it when Matt's hair is down on his forehead more. Although the pictures of him from Bourne are sooo awesome, overall I prefer his hair not quite so short.

This is a no-frills web site dedicated to a weekly (or so) column on Matt Damon

, the actor.
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USA Weekly November 2000 article

Local boys making 'Good'

The Advocate (12/99) interview

Some of my personal favorite pictures of Matt

The Talented Mr.Ripley page

The All the Pretty Horses page

The Bagger Vance page

Matt at Fenway Park for the 1999 Major League Baseball All Stars

The Details magazine article, as appeared in the London Telegraph.

Janel Maslin's NY Times Review of GWH

An article about pre-GWH videos of Matt Damon/

Archive of Past Matt Columns

I hope you enjoy this site. Sorry if you looked for Matt photos in vain. If you like photos, see Elise's site, which has an excellent photo gallery.
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Welcome to the Matt Damon Column,
a forum for sharing news among Matt fans.