Matt Damon and Steven Soderbergh are yet another unstoppable duo in Hollywood who just keeps on giving. Together, they have collaborated on a total of nine films, each bearing its own distinct flavor. The way the two complement each other is truly commendable, and fans simply can’t get enough of this dynamic partnership. While Damon’s talent shines brightly, there are moments when Soderbergh has to nudge the actor gently to redirect the actor to the correct path.
Thus, while speaking with the SAG-AFTRA foundation, Damon revealed his experience working with Soderberg on the 2009 movie, The Informant! and how the genius director brings out the best in him.
Matt Damon Was Wrong About This!
During an interview with the SAG-AFTRA foundation available on its YouTube channel, Matt Damon disclosed an interesting insight into his collaboration with Steven Soderbergh on the 2009 film The Informant, widely regarded as one of his finest works. Damon shared a candid revelation about how his instincts failed him during a pretty important scene in front of the director. He stated,
“I remember doing The Informant with Steven Soderbergh, and there was this scene […] where I had to apologize to the entire town for what I’ve done,–We had the transcript of what the guy said […] and I was in his actual chair, and I stood up, and I said to the town exactly what the man Mark Whitaker had said, and I got choked up, and as I imagined he had. It was the first take, and I thought it was really great.”
Although the actor thought highly of the take, turns out he failed to impress Soderbergh. The director then took the time to help Damon get back on track, even after Damon persistingly urged the director to at least consider his instincts. He further stated,
“I told him, ‘I really felt something, and you can say no all you want, but I felt I know what’s real. I know what I felt.’ And [Soderbergh] goes, ‘No, no, no, no, you’re missing the point. It’s just that you’re in the wrong movie.’ Wow. And I went, ‘OK.
Get me in the right movie.’”
In order to nail the take, Soderbergh asked Damon to treat the scene like an acceptance speech moment, and soon, the actor understood why, as he stated,
“And I was like, ‘Of course, like, this is the guy’s moment,–you know, this is it. The whole town is there. He has an audience. Like, this is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to him, you know? And so we did. We did the scene again, but that is literally a director saving my bacon, you know, because the scene wouldn’t have fit otherwise.”
In the end, it proved to be a success, and Damon thus now has no shame in admitting that he was in fact wrong about the scene. He also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continuously learn and evolve, especially under the mentorship of legendary directors like Soderbergh.
Steven Soderbergh Saved Matt Damon’s Career
Thanks to Steven Soderbergh, Matt Damon is still around! In an interview with Hot Ones, the actor revealed that the the 2009 movie couldn’t come at a more perfect time. Prior to landing the role in The Informant!, the actor was having trouble finding a steady foot in the industry. As he stated,
“Well, Steven Soderbergh asked me, and incidentally asked me to do it at a time in my career when it looked like I was going that way [motions downward]. The Bourne Identity hadn’t come out, I’d had a bunch of bombs. Steven called me, and I remember he told me about it and I didn’t realize he was offering me to star in it because nobody had offered me a job in a while.”
Thus, the actor made it a point to make it count, and so he did. The movie was eventually nominated for the Golden Globes and has been showered with praise by both fans and critics. The commendable camaraderie of the actor-director duo never failed to surprise the audience ever since.
The Informant! is available on Apple TV to rent.
Source: Youtube | SAG-AFTRA Foundation
