MEETING MATT DAMON

Went to the Idaho premiere of JASON BOURNE last week and had the pleasure of chatting to Matt Damon for a short while.   He lives up to his reputation of being one of the nicest people in the business. I met him first in Berlin some years back on the set of the Bourne film, he was shooting then and liked him then for his intelligence and genuineness. He  hasn’t changed.   I have been a fan of his acting ever since seeing GOOD WILL HUNTING, one of my favourite films, which never fails to move me to tears. Matt Damon has that special quality on the screen, which speaks to our souls. The Bourne series would not have been the success it is without him. It has much to do with acting, but even more to a special inner quality, which few have. It can break your heart.   I have seen it before in other actors , but rarely. Peter O’Toole had it and he demonstrated it in many of the scenes in THE LION IN WINTER including his best scene, which was cut….Hollywood politics!   Going back to Matt Damon, I have to say that THE MARTIAN would not have been the wonderful film it was, without him. Ridley Scott is a masterful Director, but friends, have you any idea, how difficult to be on stage/screen alone and engage and hold an audience. Mr Damon brought humour and humanity to the role and made us cry for him and laugh with him. I will watch him in anything he does.

I was on stage alone when I played Vivien Leigh in the one woman play VIVIEN LEIGH A PORTRAIT, which was staged in Atlanta.   The play was written by Meade Roberts and was staged for the 50th anniversary of the publishing of the book of  GONE WITH THE WIND.  Vivien Leigh starred so magnificently in the film.  Meade Roberts was a collaborator with Tennessee Williams on some of his work and this play was based on the memories of Peter Finch, who had been in love with Miss Leigh.  It’s a lovely, sad piece.  Doing the play is probably one of the most terrifying experiences of my career…..but I wouldn’t have missed for the world. Solo on stage is possibly easier than solo on film, as you get to feel, sense the response of the audience to what you are doing….terribly important ….some nights you know you need to speed things up…they are restless, maybe bored.   Other nights you know you ‘have’ them and can take your time.   I have sensed this sometimes when filming, when your crew is your audience and you know when you have ‘got’ them. It’s thrilling for an actor.

Alliance Theatre Atlanta

Bye for now!