Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on The Odyssey Set

TL;DR

Matt Damon called filming The Odyssey the pinnacle of his career, while Ben Affleck described its practical storm sequence and large-scale production as a return to epic, in-camera filmmaking. They also discussed their longtime friendship, an acorn accident on School Ties, courtside basketball mishaps, and The Rip, a crime thriller about officers confronting millions of dollars, temptation, corruption, and distrust.

Transcript

-Ohh! Feel the love right there for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon! That's right! [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you for coming on the show. I'm always honored to have you guys here. I appreciate this. I got to talk about "The Rip." It's fantastic. Great movie. But first I have to get to some hard-hitting news and scandal out there about you, Ben. -Uh-o... Read More

Key Insights

• Matt Damon considers filming The Odyssey the pinnacle of his career because he loved the experience despite its extraordinary workload. He said every location would have been the hardest location on another production, and every filming day demanded maximum effort from the entire crew.
• Ben Affleck's visit to The Odyssey set was the only guest visit during six months of shooting. He brought his children, including his middle child, who was interested in reading the Iliad and the Odyssey, and expressed deep gratitude for Christopher Nolan's permission.
• The Odyssey used ambitious practical filmmaking that Affleck compared with epic, in-camera Hollywood productions. During his visit, massive jet engines created a storm around a boat, which cracked as warriors entered the water, giving him a vivid view of the production's physical scale.
• Matt Damon's widely shared beach photograph was taken by paparazzi between takes rather than during a scene. He explained that jagged shells made him walk awkwardly, joking that the image did not depict Odysseus reacting to painful feet.
• Ben Affleck accidentally injured Matt Damon with an acorn during School Ties about 35 years earlier. Affleck aimed at Cole Hauser, who moved, and the acorn struck Damon before he could blink, sending him to the hospital and requiring an eye patch.
• Courtside basketball created memorable encounters for both actors. A player collided near Affleck and spilled beer on him, while Phil Jackson once ordered Damon and Mark Wahlberg to sit down after their enthusiastic Boston celebration beside the Lakers bench.
• The Rip is structured as both a crime thriller and a whodunit centered on temptation and mistrust. A tactical narcotics team expects to seize about $70,000 but instead finds over $20 million, forcing its members to question one another's loyalty while remaining inside the house.
• The Rip pursued realism by involving members of the actual Miami tactical narcotics team that inspired the story. The actors researched with them in Miami, and real officers and detectives later joined filming in Los Angeles and New Jersey, appearing beside the cast.

Questions & Answers

Q: What did Matt Damon say about filming The Odyssey?

Matt Damon called filming The Odyssey the pinnacle of his career and said he loved every minute of it. He described the project as exceptionally ambitious, with no time for distractions because of the workload. In his assessment, each location would have been the hardest location on any other movie he had made, and each day required maximum effort from everyone.

Q: Why did Ben Affleck visit Matt Damon on The Odyssey set?

Ben Affleck visited because he admires Christopher Nolan and was excited to see the production, while his children were unusually enthusiastic about joining him. His middle child was interested in reading the Iliad and the Odyssey. Affleck said Nolan treats a film set as a serious workplace, so he felt deeply grateful for permission to visit with his family.

Q: What did Ben Affleck see on The Odyssey set?

Ben Affleck saw a large practical sequence involving a boat, massive jet engines, a manufactured storm, and warriors entering the water after the boat cracked. He described the production as an example of epic, in-camera filmmaking associated with an earlier style of Hollywood filmmaking. The scale of the sequence made the visit exciting for both Affleck and his children.

Q: Was Matt Damon's beach photograph a scene from The Odyssey?

Matt Damon said the widely discussed photograph was a paparazzi image captured between takes, not footage from a scene in The Odyssey. He explained that the shells on the beach were extremely jagged, causing him to move awkwardly. He joked about the pose and clarified that the movie does not contain a scene in which Odysseus complains about his feet.

Q: How did Ben Affleck injure Matt Damon with an acorn?

During production of School Ties about 35 years earlier, the young cast members became bored between takes and started throwing acorns at one another. Affleck threw one toward Cole Hauser, but Hauser moved as Damon turned around. The acorn struck Damon directly in the eye before he could blink, requiring a hospital visit and an eye patch for several days.

Q: What happened to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon at basketball games?

At a Lakers game, a player came into the stands near Ben Affleck, knocked into the neighboring spectator, and caused beer to spill on Affleck. Matt Damon recalled a 2008 Celtics and Lakers game where he and Mark Wahlberg celebrated beside the Lakers bench. Phil Jackson called a timeout, turned toward them, and forcefully ordered them to sit down and be quiet.

Q: What is The Rip about?

The Rip is a crime thriller and whodunit about a tactical narcotics team raiding a Miami house. The officers expect to find roughly $70,000 but discover over $20 million hidden in the walls. Because they must count the seized money on site, they remain exposed to anyone returning for it while doubts about corruption test the team's loyalty and trust.

Q: How did real tactical narcotics officers contribute to The Rip?

The filmmakers arranged for the actors to research with the real Miami tactical narcotics team connected to the story that inspired The Rip. Director and writer Joe Carnahan also brought officers to filming locations in Los Angeles and New Jersey. Real officers and detectives appeared in the movie, helping the actors make their performances and the team environment feel more authentic.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Matt Damon described filming The Odyssey as the pinnacle of his career and said its demanding locations required maximum effort from everyone involved. Ben Affleck visited with his children, watched a practical storm sequence involving a boat and massive jet engines, and expressed gratitude that Christopher Nolan allowed their unusually rare set visit.

• Affleck and Damon recalled an accident during School Ties, when they passed time by throwing acorns between takes. An acorn thrown by Affleck missed Cole Hauser and struck Damon directly in the eye. Damon went to the hospital and wore an eye patch, while Affleck feared losing his small role.

• The Rip follows a Miami tactical narcotics team that discovers over $20 million hidden inside a house after expecting roughly $70,000. Required to count the money on site, the officers face danger, temptation, and suspicions of corruption. Real officers advised the production and appeared alongside the actors to strengthen its realism.