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Being typecast into certain roles is a spot many actors attempt to avoid, as doing the same thing over and over again can be exasperating for actors in the long term. This was the major reason whyOppenheimerStar Matt Damon avoided taking the lead role in John Woo’sPaycheck, which witnesses the lead character suffering from amnesia, kind of similar to Damon’s Jason Bourne.
But there has been one notable exception to all of this, as back in the mid-2010s, the actor decided to take a role similar to his one inInterstellar, just a year after Christopher Nolan’s film hit the big screens.
Also read:Not Just Clint Eastwood Even Steve Spielberg Did Not Agree to Matt Damon’s Sincere Request in His Oscar Winning Movie
Matt Damon TookThe Martianto Observe Ridley Scott’s Skills Behind the Camera
WhileMatt Damonhas moistly avoided landing in the pitfalls of being typecast into a similar kind of role, his admiration for Ridley Scott once prevailed over his determination to stick to diverse roles. A year after playing Dr. Mann in Christopher Nolan’sInterstellar, an astronaut stuck all alone on a distant planet, he took the role of Matt Watney inThe Martian, an astronaut stuck all alone on Mars.
With a determination to walk in his friend Ben Affleck’s footsteps and become an accomplished director, working with Ridley Scott helped Damon learn the intricacies of working behind the camera. Reflecting on the experience onThe Martiansets, Damon recalled admitting to Scott that he aspires to be a director after Scott asked him point-blank.“I said, ‘You want to do this, don’t you?’ and he said, ‘Yeah.'”Damon said.
Also read:“Watching people come out crying”: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Went Through Torture For Months After Getting Rejected From Robin Williams’ Oscar Winning Movie
Matt Damon Had No Interest in the Science BehindThe Martian
Apart from observing Ridley Scott’s mastery behind the lens, Matt Damon also delivered an immaculate performance in the role, resulting inThe Martianscoring high among fans and critics. But unlike his inquisitiveness towards learning the art of directing, the actor had no interest in learning the science behind the sci-fi drama, as he believed it wasn’t necessary. He said to theL.A. Times,
“Not at all. you may if you want to, but it’s acting. If it’s done right, the audience should believe it. I think it’s always good when an actor knows what they’re saying.” Damon explained.“You can see when you watch an actor who’s talking and he literally doesn’t have any idea what they’re talking about, that comes across. But if you know in general terms what it is and what the obstacles are, then you don’t have to know.”
Also read:“Guys it’s only seven seconds”: Oppenheimer Stars Emily Blunt and Matt Damon Made Everyone on Set Uncomfortable During an Unavoidable Scene
Thankfully, not having complete knowledge aboutThe Martian‘s science didn’t impact Matt Damon’s performance, and his decision to take the project despite fears of being typecast did pay off.
The Martianis available to rent on Apple TV.
Source:L.A. Times
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2543
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
