Steven Spielberg has consistently maintained a stellar track record of unparalleled filmmaking. He’s nothing if not a man of authenticity. It’s why he shot Jaws in the open ocean and also why he made his actors in war dramas endure days of grueling training – to uphold sincerity and credibility.
But the responsibility of making blockbuster hits carries a certain weight and Spielberg knew he needed to be stern at times, and fun at others. You don’t get to where the Oscar-winning director is by being a laid-back and lighthearted fellow. And Matt Damon got to experience it first-hand.
Steven Spielberg is Not One to Mince Words
If there’s one thing one of Hollywood’s most prestigious directors isn’t capable of, it’s beating around the bush, especially when he’s behind the camera.
Talking to Sam Jones on The Off Camera Show, Matt Damon recalled how, while filming Saving Private Ryan – one of Steven Spielberg‘s many crown jewels – the 77-year-old visionary had cutting words for an actor during one of the scenes.
Somebody said, ‘Well, I think my character should be…’, and he [Spielberg] goes, ‘You can do whatever you want but do it over there, because that’s where the movie’s gonna be.
Ouch. That ought to hurt.
It wasn’t just the unnamed actor who was welcomed with cutting remarks by the director though, Damon himself encountered a similar, (seemingly) slightly insulting situation. Only, what then seemed like a harsh comment, eventually turned out to be words of wisdom for the Oppenheimer star.
Matt Damon Wielded the Director’s Caustic Words to His Advantage
While filming the war action venture that landed five Academy Awards, Matt Damon – ever the perfectionist – always strove for the best. It was why he’d often find himself dissatisfied with shots and would urge Spielberg for retakes.
But the War of the Worlds director held a completely different perspective, one which would end up being the linchpin of Damon’s career as a producer.
I said, ‘Steven, you know, don’t you think we should have done a couple more takes of that thing?’ […] He turned on a dime and he said, ‘I could spend another hour on that scene and perhaps make it 10% better, or I could go do another great shot. I’m gonna do the shot.
Damon, 53, – who’d been in his late 20s at the time – found himself being “mildly offended” by Spielberg’s steely advice. But little did he know, he’d end up turning it into his motto in the foreseeable future. “I think where I am now,” the actor and film producer said, “is exactly where he was then.”
The Martian star, who has since come to write and produce several films, realized that Spielberg’s words were akin to a “magic trick” for mashing up a great movie. “It’s not all about any one person’s thing,” he opined. “It’s really about the director.”
Saving Private Ryan can be streamed on Paramount+.
