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Making his way to the top wasn’t an easy task for Matt Damon, as initially, he struggled to find the type of roles he wanted during the early days of his career. However, in order to change that and showcase his acting chops to the World, the actor was adamant about starring in one of Denzel Washington’s projects, even though it wasn’t a big role.
But despite not getting a substantial part inCourage Under Fire, this job would be the one to put Damon on the map. And even though theJason Bournestar too realized that the role in the film might be too small, he knew that it will set him apart.
Also read:“The simpler the story the more that it can kind of play”: Matt Damon Blames Global Audience for Death of Indie Movies, Claims Studios Focusing More on Broader Appeal
Matt Damon signed in forCourage Under Fireto showcase his acting chops
After initially struggling to find his footing in the industry,Matt Damonwas adamant about showcasing his acting chops but wasn’t getting the desired role to do that. However, things changed after he got an opportunity to star in 1996’sCourage Under Fire, starringDenzel Washingtonat its forefront, as he finally got the opportunity to go full method for the role. Considering the role of Specialist Ilario wasn’t the most substantial part of the film, Damon thought that nobody was going to take this role, and the actor was determined to get this job under his wing. He recalled,
“I thought, Nobody will take this role, because it’s too small. I was sick of reading scripts that Chris O’Donnell had passed on, and I was looking for something to set me apart: ‘Look what I’ll do, I’ll kill myself!’ Directors took note of it.”
After succeeding at getting the role under his belt,The Martianstar went to significant lengths to leave a prolonged impression on the industry with his limited screentime.
Also read:“I can’t, I’m not going anywhere”: Matt Damon’s Lies Exposed By Luciana Barroso Who Rejected His Request To Go Out With Him On Their First Meeting
Going full method seriously impacted Mat Damon’s health
Playing the role of a traumatized medic and former soldier wasn’t an easy task, as Matt Damon gave his all to perfect the character and even lost 40 pounds to get into the desired shape for the role. However, going to these extreme lengths eventually caught up with the actor as Damon suffered from severe mental and physical complications as a result of this exhausting process. The actor explained,
“I had to go on medication, for dizziness, lightheadedness, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder…I’ve been off the medication for a couple of weeks now, after two years. That taught me a lot about what I can and can’t do, what I should and shouldn’t do.”
Also read:Vin Diesel & Tom Hanks Despised Co-Star Matt Damon in Steven Spielberg’s $482M Film Because He Was Busy Enjoying “Bubble Bath” As They Suffered on Set
But these struggles eventually paid off, as Damon was successful in leaving a star-making impression, which would eventually result in him getting hired in Francis Ford Coppola’sThe Rainmaker.
Courage Under Fireis available to stream on Apple TV.
Source:Vanity Fair
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
