Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.Photo: Todd Williamson/Getty
During a Q&A following a screening of the upcoming film in New York City on Monday night, Affleck, 50, joked of Damon, 52, “It’s not the first time I’vecarriedhim!”, according toIndieWire.
“It mightseemlike the first time he’s directed me,” said Damon with a laugh, adding, “I mean,we did high-school playswhere he was like, ‘Dude, I think you should do it like this.’ "
“He’s been directing me for like 40-something years,” Damon noted.
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Michael Loccisano/Getty for SXSW
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Affleck and Damon met while both growing up in Boston and graduated from the same high school (Damon in 1992, Affleck in 1994).
Damon’s brother, Kyle, previously told PEOPLE that the pair “weren’t considered cool kids.” In fact, “They were drama geeks.”
The pair started auditioning together and eventually appeared in their first movie,School Ties, in 1992. They went on to star in several more films together, including 1997’sGood Will Huntingand 1999’sDogma, winning anOscarfor Best Original Screenplay for the former.
Damon and Affleck eventually started their own production company,Pearl Street Films, and continue to produce movies together.
AIRis the first film from Affleck and Damon’snew production company Artists Equityand marks the two-time Academy Award winner’s first time directing since 2016’sLive By Night.
Based on a true story,AIRstars Affleck as Philip Knight, the co-founder of Nike, Inc., while Damon plays Sonny Vaccaro, the sports-marketing executive who helped signNBAlegendMichael Jordanto Nike and launch Air Jordan sneakers.
Affleck and Damon appear in the film alongsideChris Tucker,Viola Davis, her husbandJulius Tennon,Jason Bateman,Chris Messina,Marlon WayansandGustaf Skarsgård.
“I had a ball working with them and I called Ben The Player Coach cause he’s an actor and director,” Tucker, 51, recentlytold PEOPLE of his return to film. “So he knows how we roll, and he gives you that respect and that space to do your thing.”
AIRswishes into theaters April 5.
source: people.com
