Matt Damon recently said on the “Radio Times Podcast” (via People ) that he “can’t imagine” having to deal with the scrutiny from the press that his friend and longtime collaborator Ben Affleck has faced over the years. Damon noted the two actors have had “parallel careers in a lot of ways,” breaking through with their shared “Good Will Hunting” Oscar win before headlining franchises and major studio movies.

“I’ve been really lucky in that way … especially when I look at Casey’s brother, Ben,” Damon said. “I can’t imagine living under that kind of scrutiny. And it’s been like that for 25 years and we’ve had parallel careers in a lot of ways and so I’m fortunate to have been kind of excused from that part of [it].”

While their career paths mirrored each other, their personal lives took divergent turns. Damon attributes his “ordinary” marriage (to Luciana Barroso) as a key factor in the Hollywood press being less intrusive in his life compared to Affleck, whose relationship with Jennifer Lopez continues to fuel the tabloid frenzy.

“That tabloid culture that was so prevalent … 25 years ago, kind of overlooked me,” Damon added. “Right, like a guy who’s married, it’s so mundane. What drove those publications were scandals and sensationalism … and as long as you didn’t engage in any of that, it wasn’t really worth their time to wait to capture your image, and so I ended up being left alone.”

Damon shared that fame is a “weird, disorienting experience,” adding: “I just wanted to focus on my work, and so I kind of retreated for a while to regain my balance. Luckily I found love with someone outside the industry who was tolerant of that aspect of my life, and that really helped me.”

Damon and Affleck have supported each other through the ups and downs of fame and their careers over the years. For example, Affleck told Entertainment Weekly in 2022 that Damon played a crucial role in helping him to redefine his career after the low point of working on “ Justice League .”

“I had a really low point around ‘Justice League’ for a number of reasons,” Affleck revealed to Damon for EW. “Not placing blame on anyone, there’s a lot that happened. But the reality is that I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t enjoying being there. I didn’t find it interesting. And then some really terrible, awful things took place. But, that’s when I decided, I’m not going to do that anymore.”

“I discussed this with you, and your perspective was a key factor in my decision,” Affleck said to Damon. “I want to pursue projects that bring me joy. And that's why we made ‘Last Duel’, a film I enjoyed working on every day. I wasn't the protagonist, I wasn't likable. I was the antagonist. I wasn't all the things I thought I was supposed to be when I started, but it was a wonderful experience. It was all just things that came my way, not things I was actively seeking.”

Affleck and Damon recently shared the screen in last year’s “Air” and have several film projects in development together, including “RIP,” a new Netflix thriller from writer and director Joe Carnahan, and a movie that explores Hulk Hogan’s infamous legal dispute with Gawker. Gus Van Sant is set to direct the latter project, reuniting the duo with their “Good Will Hunting” filmmaker.