MATT DAMON is delighted NELSON MANDELA paid a visit to the set of his forthcoming movie – because seeing the former South African president meet his young daughters is a memory he will treasure forever.

The actor stars in Invictus, based on a book of Mandela’s life during the 1995 Rugby World Cup in the country, and was stunned to meet him on-set.

Damon took his wife Lucy, her daughter Alexia, from a previous relationship, and their daughters Isabella and Gia, with him to meet the icon – and seeing Mandela interact with his familywas an overwhelming experience.

He says, “Lucy and I just sat and watched them (the children). The stills photographer from the movie was allowed to come, and I was like, ‘Take some pictures!’ And so he took all these shots of Gia – she was about six months at the time. And the kids were captivated by him.

“They just got it instantly. Looking in his eyes, they understood everything. Alexia was very nervous. Isabella and Gia weren’t at all because they didn’t know (about Mandela), until they got into the room and were completely taken by him.”

Source: New Kerala

MATT DAMON’s stepsister was stunned when she landed an audition for the Hollywood star’s new movie – and was told she’d be playing his lover.

Model-turned-actress Sarah Bradford, 22, grew up with the Oscar winner, after her mother and his father married.

She insists she’s never used Damon to help her progress in Hollywood, and earned an audition for a role in The Adjustment Bureau through her own hard work.

But she was shocked when casting bosses told her she would have to jump into bed with her sibling.

Bradford tells New York magazine, “Five months ago I went in for a reading for this movie Matt’s in, The Adjustment Bureau. It’s in production right now in New York.

“It was for a character called Elise – she is basically queen bee at this ballet academy – and all of a sudden they say, ‘Are you aware that if you get this role, you’ll be playing Matt’s love, having a love affair with your brother.’

“My jaw dropped.”

Fortunately the sordid story ended on a positive note for the young actress: “I just read for a more appropriate role in the movie, Elise’s friend, and I got the part. It’s very exciting. What parents wouldn’t want their children to work together.”

Source: New Kerala

MATT DAMON is determined to step behind the camera one day – because he’s learned from the best directors in Hollywood.

The actor has starred in dozens of box office smash movies during his 12-year long career and has been guided by top directors including Martin Scorsese and Steven Soderbergh.

Damon has secretly been picking up tips from the moviemakers – because one day he would love to direct a film.

He says, “I can’t wait to direct. I choose my movies based on the director and so I’ve been treating the last 12 years like a film school.

“All the directors I’ve worked with have been very tolerant of my questions. The next step is for me to try it myself.”

But Damon is putting off a directorial career for now – so he can learn more tricks of the trade.

He adds, “I’m not in a rush. The jobs hat I’m getting not only are really exciting for me as an actor but I’m still working with people that I have a great deal to learn from.”

Source: New Kerala

MATT DAMON has turned down a string of movie roles because he refuses to act in films with excessive violence.

The Hollywood actor has starred in a number of high action movies including Saving Private Ryan and the Bourne trilogy.

But Damon has rejected a number of scripts which include gratuitous fighting – because he’s worried it may affect people’s real-life actions.

He says, “I always look at the violence (in a script). I don’t want it to be gratuitous because I do believe that has an effect on people’s behaviour. I really do believe that and I have turned down movies because of that.”

Source: New Kerala

Matt Damon and Josh Brolin are reportedly close to signing up for the Coen brothers’ remake of the Western classic True Grit.

Damon and Brolin would join Jeff Bridges, who previously collaborated with the Coens on their cult favorite The Big Lebowski.

Brolin is himself no stranger to Joel and Ethan Coen, having starred in their Oscar-winning thriller No Country for Old Men in 2007.

If all goes according to plan, Damon and Brolin will play the lawman (originally played by Glen Campbell) and the killer (originally played by Jeff Corey), respectively; Bridges, meanwhile, is penciled in for the role of Rooster Cogburn, played famously by John Wayne in the 1969 original.

The film will be released late next year.

Source: Hollywood.Com

The Oscar-winning film maker – who has previously worked on Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Erin Brockovich’ and ‘Oceans Eleven – says the dark comedy was a simple film to make because they lead actor Matt Damon was perfect for the role.

He said: “Making the movie was the most fun I’ve had on a shoot since ‘Erin Brockovich.’ It was the right material, the right actor, the right time. I have to say, it felt embarrassingly easy.”

Matt plays Mark Whitacre, a corporate whistleblower who attempts to bring down a US business giant but ends up embezzling more that $9 million. The 39-year-old actor had to put on 30lb in weight for the role.

Steven recently revealed revealed Matt loved bulking up for the part.

He said: “I think he really had fun doing it – he looked like he had fun. And, in this case, having worked with him was a huge benefit because we had to move so quickly.”

‘The Informant!’ is released in cinemas on November 20th.

Source:  UK News

“Matt couldn’t be a greater, nicer guy. I’m really lucky that I’m on good terms with him. With Johnny, it’s like we’re good, but we lead very different lives.” WINONA RYDER on ex loves MATT DAMON and JOHNNY DEPP.

Source: Hollywood.Com

Matt Damon had to pull out of a charity fundraiser because of a “family emergency of a serious nature”.

The ‘Bourne Ultimatum’ star was due to host an event for OneXOne – a charity which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of impoverished children around the world – in San Francisco tonight (23.10.09) but instead had to return to his home in Boston yesterday evening (22.10.09).

Representatives for the 39-year-old actor have revealed the emergency didn’t involve any of his children with wife Luciana Bozan – Isabella, three, and 14-month-old Gia Zavala.

Charlize Theron is expected to attend the gala. Meanwhile, Hollywood director Steven Soderbergh has praised Matt for his fantastic work ethic on new movie ‘The Informant!’.

Soderbergh, who also directed Damon in ‘Oceans Eleven’, said: “It was such an odd story and it required a certain kind of performance “In this case, having worked with him was a huge benefit because we had to move so quickly.”

Source: China Daily

The U.S. State Department released a video narrated by Matt Damon in late September to YouTube, describing the world food crisis and how global climate change will mean less food available for the 1.8 billion more people who will live on Earth by 2030.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released a statement today, in recognition of World Food Day, on the need to combat global hunger and directs interested citizens to go to the State Department’s page on Global Food Security to learn more about what needs to be done.

Fighting hunger and poverty through sustainable agricultural development–making sure that enough food is available and that people have the resources to purchase it–is a key foreign policy objective of the Obama Administration. Food security is about economic, environmental, and national security for our individual homelands and the entire world.

In the coming years we have a unique opportunity to work with partners around the world to eradicate hunger. Major industrialized nations have committed more than $22 billion over three years to spur agriculture-led economic growth. Our investment in agriculture will complement our commitment to humanitarian aid, which plays a vital role in feeding some of the world’s most vulnerable