Matt Damon has reflected on his memorable experience working with legendary filmmaker Clint Eastwood, describing the collaboration as both unforgettable and deeply eye-opening.
The Oscar-winning actor, who starred in the 2009 sports drama Invictus, recently revealed that Eastwood’s famously efficient directing style initially caught him by surprise. Damon portrayed South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar and spent months preparing for the demanding role.
According to Damon, he dedicated nearly six months to mastering a South African accent, working daily with renowned dialect coach Tim Monich. Speaking on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the actor explained the complexity of the accent.
“South Africans speak English, but it’s like their tongue does the exact opposite thing that ours does,” Damon said.
When filming began, Damon was eager to showcase the results of his intensive preparation. However, Eastwood’s approach was far more streamlined than expected.
“The very first take, I did it,” Damon recalled. “He goes, ‘Cut. Print. Move on.’ And I go, ‘Hang on, boss, you want to do another one?’ And he goes, ‘Why? You wanna waste everybody’s time?’”
While the moment initially shocked Damon, he later understood Eastwood’s philosophy of efficiency and respect for the cast and crew. The director believed in avoiding unnecessary retakes unless they were truly needed.
“There was a kindness to the words from a really lovely guy,” Damon said, adding that Eastwood trusted his actors to deliver strong performances without exhausting everyone on set.
Damon noted that Eastwood’s directing style was not rigid, however. When the two reunited for the 2010 supernatural drama Hereafter, the filmmaker adjusted his approach for a crucial scene involving a nine-year-old non-actor.
“We had done one take for everybody all through Invictus—Morgan Freeman, everybody gets one take,” Damon said. “We must have done 40 takes with this little boy.”
The experience, Damon explained, highlighted Eastwood’s flexibility and instinctive understanding of when a scene truly requires extra time.