Actor Matt Damon is known for his impactful performances ever since his breakthrough role in 1997’s Good Will Hunting. However, Damon tasted greater fame when he earned commercial success with his role as Jason Bourne in the Bourne franchise. While the action-thriller franchise raked in $1.66 billion at the box office, Damon had to resort to an unconventional method for his fight scenes.
During an interview, Damon revealed that he struck a deal with the stuntmen performing action scenes opposite him in the franchise. However, the deal involved the exchange of some luxury items that certainly did not come cheap for the lead actor. Here is the deal Matt Damon made with his stuntmen on the Bourne franchise, and how it went for the Ocean’s Eleven star.
Matt Damon Reveals Deal With His Stuntmen on Bourne Films
Matt Damon has starred as Jason Bourne, an amnesiac spy, in four of the five films in the Bourne franchise. Based on the books and characters by Robert Ludlum, the franchise is among the high points of Damon’s career and catapulted him to the status of a bankable star.
During an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Damon shared an interesting behind-the-scenes detail about his work in the franchise. He told host Corden that his fighting skills are poor and present a hurdle when performing action choreography with stuntmen. Damon admitted that he would usually end up accidentally punching the stuntmen in the face.
“So my deal with them is… it started on the first movie. I told the first guy I fought with in The Bourne Identity, for every time I accidentally punch you in the face, I’ll buy you a bottle of champagne.”
Damon went on to reveal that he continued to make the deal over his tenure in the franchise. Moreover, the actor admitted that he would end up buying twelve bottles of champagne per movie for his stuntmen due to his habit of accidentally hitting them in the face.
Also Read: “What have I done?”: One Movie Almost Gave Matt Damon Mind-Numbing Depression
Vincent Cassel Turned Down Matt Damon’s Deal
During the conversation, Damon revealed that while his deal worked for most of his time on the Bourne films, one actor declined to accept it. On the franchise’s fifth and most recent installment, Jason Bourne, Damon worked with French actor Vincent Cassel. However, Cassel turned down the deal from Damon.
“So, in this one, I fight Vincent Cassel, the great French actor. He is a talented martial artist, and he had no interest in my champagne. He was like, Matt, just do not hit me in the face.”
Moreover, Damon joked that Cassel insisted on buying his own champagne. Of course, the film wasn’t the first time Damon and Cassel worked together.
The duo also shared the screen in the 2004 heist comedy film Ocean’s Twelve. In the film, Damon plays Linus Caldwell, a known pickpocket while Cassel appears as master thief Baron François Toulour. Hence, it is likely that Cassel turning down Damon’s deal was all in good banter between the actors.
The Bourne franchise films can be rented on Amazon Prime Video and other VOD platforms.
