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Damon: Eastwood's 'Shut Down' Taught Me Acting
27 Jan
Summary
- Damon recounts Eastwood's blunt direction on 'Invictus'.
- Six months of accent training were dismissed in one take.
- Eastwood's strict approach contrasted with later films.
Matt Damon recently reflected on the stringent direction he received from Clint Eastwood during the filming of their 2009 movie, 'Invictus.' Damon, who portrayed a South African rugby player, dedicated six months to mastering the challenging accent. However, upon his first take, Eastwood immediately called for a "Cut. Print. Move on," leaving Damon surprised.
Eastwood's direct style led him to question Damon's need for additional takes, asking, "Why? You wanna waste everybody's time?" This experience, while initially jarring, highlighted Eastwood's clear vision as a director. Damon noted this strictness differed significantly from his work on subsequent films.
In contrast to 'Invictus,' Damon recalled the filming of 'Hereafter,' where he worked with a nine-year-old, inexperienced actor. For that project, the team patiently completed over 40 takes to achieve the desired result. Damon's most recent collaboration was with Ben Affleck in 'The Rip,' a film about two narcotics officers involved with a cartel.
