The Actors: Matt Damon on Fame and the ‘Bourne’ Franchise

Promise Land star Matt Damon reveals why he turned down the most recent installment of the Bourne franchise and what it was like when going through a period without work. “It was sobering. It didn’t really feel like a rough ride at the time. I did have a couple of movies that didn’t work and some of them had big enough budgets that people cared and so basically my phone just stopped ringing” said the Academy Award-winning actor.

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Matt Damon On Ben Affleck’s Tough ‘Gigli’ Years, Working Together Again

Back in 1997, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck catapulted to stardom, winning an Oscar for writing “Good Will Hunting,” the coming-of-age story in which they also starred. They were the young toasts of Hollywood, and in the years that followed, each went on to make some impressive films: “Saving Private Ryan,” “Rounders” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley” for Damon, and “Armageddon,” “Shakespeare In Love” and “Boiler Room” for Affleck.

Damon continued to make hit films, starting up the Bourne series, amongst others, but it became a bit more dicey for Affleck. He suffered through a number of public relationships, and began featuring in movies that didn’t quite hit it big with the public or critics; “Gigli” and “Daredevil,” amongst others, now stain his IMDB page.

Life wasn’t easy, and as his best friend and writing partner, Damon had a hard time watching it.

“That was really hard for me to watch as his friend, because I didn’t think it was fair to him,” Damon told Shortlist.com, before shifting over to Affleck’s more recently revived career. “It’s more of a relief to me, to be honest. As his writing partner, I know how great he is. I always knew that better than anybody, so now I just feel vindicated. So I’m not at all surprised, but I’m glad to see him doing so well and it’s turned back the way it should be. Everything is right with the Force again.”

Indeed, Affleck has returned to making hit movies, not only as an actor, but now as a director, too. He got behind the camera for his first feature in 2007, directing the solidly received “Gone Baby Gone,” and then scored a major hit with his 2010 crime pic, “The Town.”

In fact, the two old partners are planning a reunion.

“Yeah, we really want to work together again,” he said. “We have a couple of things we’re developing and we have a deal together over at Warner Bros, but he’s making a great movie right now called ‘Argo.’ It’s really, really good.”

Affleck is directing and starring in that film, the true story of the bizarre way the CIA worked to rescue hostages in Iran in the late 70s. Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Kyle Chandler and Alan Arkin also star in the film. Damon, who just featured in Steven Soderbergh’s “Contagion,” will next star in Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought A Zoo,” and was just announced as a co-star in HBO’s biopic of Liberace.

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Matt Damon, Michael Douglas to Star in HBO’s Liberace Biopic

Looks like Liberace production will start next year! Sure seems like an awesome story! From Hollywood Reporter:

Steven Soderbergh will direct the project, written by Richard LaGravenese and executive produced by Jerry Weintraub.

Michael Douglas and Matt Damon have been tapped to star in HBO Films’ Liberace biopic.

Behind the Candelabrawill star Douglas as Liberace in the project that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between the legendary entertainer and Scott Thorson, his younger, live-in lover (Damon).

The project will be executive produced by Jerry Weintraub (Ocean’s Eleven) and produced by Gregory Jacobs (The Informant!) and Susan Ekins (The Karate Kid series), with Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) directing the script by Richard LaGravenese (Water for Elephants).

“This is a story that’s going to surprise a lot of people,” HBO Films president Len Amato said Tuesday in announcing the casting. “It’s funny, heartbreaking and always fascinating, and we are delighted that Jerry and Steven brought the film to HBO. With Steven at the helm, directing such accomplished actors as Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, this is a dream project for us.”

Production will begin next summer in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Palm Springs.

For Weintraub, the project marks a reunion with the premium cable network that aired his biopic, His Way this year.

“I’ve wanted to make a film about Liberace for a very long time, and after the amazing experience I had with HBO on His Way, I knew that they were absolutely the right place for this movie,” he said. “I am thrilled that we have the incomparable Michael Douglas to inhabit the role of Liberace, as well as the exceptional Matt Damon to play the pivotal part of Scott Thorson. Putting these two fine actors in the creative hands of Steven Soderberg — it doesn’t get better than that.”

Soderbergh, meanwhile, noted HBO’s “fearless approach” to original programming in bringing the project to the pay cabler.

“From the inception of this project, we’ve had two priorities: getting it right creatively, and getting as many people as possible to see it,” he said.

For Weintraub, the project marks the latest in a string of small-screen work. CBS earlier this month picked up The Producer, a period drama project. set in the world of the evening news.

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