Hollywood star Matt Damon has had an extensive career in Hollywood spanning over decades, throughout which he has worked with several actors. However, some have left a lasting mark on him, one of them being his True Grit co-star Hailee Steinfeld. The 26-year-old actress-singer is known for movies and shows like The Edge of Seventeen and Hawkeye. She had her feature film debut alongside Jeff Bridges, Damon, and Josh Brolin in the 2010 film, True Grit.
Her performance in the movie earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. And the Jason Bourne star couldn’t believe how good his younger co-star was. Later, in an interview, he praised the actress and compared her to Jodie Foster, who also gained her first Oscar nomination at the age of 14.
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Matt Damon Praised Hailee Steinfeld For Her Extraordinary Talent
Hailee Steinfeld was just 13 years old when she took on the role of Mattie Ross, a teenage girl seeking revenge on her father’s killer in the 2010 film True Grit. The movie features her alongside actors like Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, and Matt Damon.
And the latter was highly impressed with her work, as he didn’t expect such an impressive performance from a 13-year-old. He was so impressed with her work that he would rave about his young co-star to his wife.
During an interview with RTE, the actor recalled going back and forth to Texas for filming. And once he came back home, he would tell his wife, “This girl reminds me of Jodie Foster.” His belief appears well-founded, as Steinfeld would receive her first Oscar nomination at the same age as the Taxi Driver actress.
Damon also said he hoped his co-star would be like Jodie Foster, highlighting her evolution into a formidable performer full of talent and intelligence that helped her win over the industry. And he wishes the same for Dickinson star.
Hailee Steinfeld Competed Against 15,000 Actresses For True Grit
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the makers of the 2010 adaptation of Charles Portis’ novel True Grit shared that Hailee Steinfeld competed against thousands of actors to land the role of Mattie Ross.
The makers described the character as “sassy, fearless, and sure of herself” and were looking for an actress aged from 12 to 17. However, ninety percent of actors got eliminated as the makers shared that they were “not actors in any sort of natural way.”
And they finally found their Mattie after Steinfeld auditioned for the role with Jeff Bridges, Dakin Matthews, and Barry Pepper. The actress, who was just 13 years old at the time, had a few short films and TV roles under her name. She eventually won the role and surprised some of the biggest names in the industry with her extraordinary talent.
True Grit is available on Paramount+
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