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The beginnings - Matthew Paige Damon was born on October 8, 1970, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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Roots - He is the son of a stockbroker and an early childhood education professor.

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Family - His late father was of Scottish and English origins, while his mother has Finnish and Swedish roots.

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Childhood - Damon lived with his family in Newton, Massachusetts for two years. After his parents' divorce, when he was just two years old, Damon and his brother moved back to Cambridge with their mother. They lived in a communal six-family house.

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Friends like family - Damon grew up with fellow future actor Ben Affleck. Besides being best friends, the two are also distantly related. Affleck is actually Damon's 10th cousin, once-removed!

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"By the book" - Damon has said that his mother was so strict that she made him feel like he couldn't define himself.

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High school - At the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, the actor was a good and disciplined student. It was also there that he and Affleck took drama classes.

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Adolescence - Damon's artistic vein was visible even during his teenage years. But sadly, he describes his younger self as feeling lonely and longing to belong.

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First roles - During high school, Damon performed in several theater productions. His drama teacher, Gerry Speca, was a big influence in his life.

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Harvard - Damon attended prestigious Harvard University for four years as an English major, but ultimately dropped out.

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Career -

He swapped Harvard for a role in the film 'Geronimo: An American Legend' (1993).

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Big break - But his career really kicked off with the release of 'Good Will Hunting' (1997), which he co-wrote with Affleck.

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Dream duo - Damon came up with the idea for the script while still at Harvard, and with Affleck's help he finished it in 1994. Miramax eventually bought the rights to the film.

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Award-winning pair - For the movie, the duo won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.

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Individual praise - Damon's acting performance in the film also earned him nominations at the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Satellite Awards, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards, just to name a few.

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The follow-up - Damon followed up 'Good Will Hunting' with Steven Spielberg's 1998 film 'Saving Private Ryan,' in which he played the titular character.

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Stardom -

When in 2001 he starred alongside the likes of George Clooney and Brad Pitt in 'Ocean's Eleven,' his status as a Hollywood star was solidified.

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Leading man - His turn as Jason Bourne in the 2002 film 'The Bourne Identity' became one of the most iconic roles of his career, resulting in a film franchise and a reputation as a bankable leading man.

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Marriage - In 2005, the actor married Luciana Barroso of Argentina. They have three daughters together, with Barroso also having another daughter from a previous marriage.

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More critical acclaim - In 2006, he starred in Martin Scorsese's 'The Departed' alongside Hollywood heavyweights Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Mark Wahlberg. The movie was a hit both at the box office and with critics. It won four Oscars and scored a fifth nomination.

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A star - In 2007, Matt Damon was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Further Oscar attention - He scored an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a rugby union team captain in 2009's 'Invictus,' in which he starred alongside Morgan Freeman.

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Awards show darling - He would also receive a Golden Globe for Best Actor and a nomination for Best Actor at the Oscars for 2015's 'The Martian.'

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Producer - As a producer for 2016's 'Manchester by the Sea,' Damon was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

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An international superstar - But Damon was also in front of the camera in 2016. He starred in 'The Great Wall,' which was a huge hit in China, and 'Jason Bourne,' the latest film in his famous franchise.

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Always working - In 2017, fans could see Damon in such films as 'Downsizing' and 'Suburbicon.'

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Fast moves - In 2019, the buzz surrounded 'Ford v Ferrari,' in which Damon starred alongside Christian Bale.

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A big year -

2021 was a big year for Damon on the big screen. First, he starred in 'Stillwater.'

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Matt Damon -

This was followed by 'The Last Duel,' which he co-wrote with Ben Affleck and Nicole Holofcener. It was directed by Ridley Scott and Damon and Affleck were also part of the film's A-list cast, and executive produced the project.

See also: Ben, Bale, and other men who became Batman

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