Matt Damon on Ben Affleck: "We Were the Only Ones Who Believed in Each Other"

In a world where Hollywood friendships can flicker out faster than a paparazzi flashbulb, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have maintained a bond that's practically geological. We're talking 50 years. Half a century. That's longer than some countries have been countries. And Damon recently spilled a few beans on how they pulled it off.

Turns out, it wasn't just shared dreams of stardom that cemented their connection. It was the sheer, unadulterated belief in each other when literally no one else was offering it. Damon told People magazine about their teenage years, when they'd trek down to New York from Boston, hopping on trains and buses to chase auditions. "We were the only people who believed in each other," he said. Which, if you think about it, is both incredibly sweet and slightly heartbreaking.

Their families were supportive, sure, but they weren't exactly handing out industry advice. So, it was just two kids, a bus ticket, and an unwavering conviction that the other guy was destined for greatness. That kind of shared delusion, apparently, builds a pretty solid foundation.

Now, as they've navigated from hopeful teens to Oscar-winning titans, their friendship has evolved with them. They're both staring down the barrel of nearly-empty nests, with kids on the cusp of flying the coop. "It doesn't take much to get us emotional at this point," Damon quipped about Affleck, acknowledging they're in a "new phase of life."

This shared experience of impending parental irrelevance is apparently a bonding agent in itself. It even spurred them to co-found their company, Artists Equity. Damon explained they felt they were "young enough to have the energy to do it and old enough to appreciate why we should do it." Basically, they're making movies with their friends, because at this point, why wouldn't you? It's a testament to a friendship that survived Hollywood, fatherhood, and probably a few very questionable fashion choices from the '90s.