Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Kept the Friendship Alive For 40 Years, Despite Claims of “Not Getting Along With JLo”

Real friendships don’t fade with time — when you reunite with an old friend and it feels like no time has passed, that’s the real deal. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are part of that 67% of people who have a friend since childhood. Even in their 50s, their bond is as strong as ever.

They have been friends almost their whole lives.

They became buddies when Damon was 10 and Affleck was 8, and they attended the same high school. Affleck felt misunderstood while acting in a TV show until he found a kindred spirit in Damon, who shared his passion. “All of a sudden I had this friend, Matt, and he gets it and wants to do it and thinks it was interesting and wants to talk about it. Soon both of us are doing it.” Both being drama enthusiasts, they auditioned together for their first movie, School Ties in 1992.

They played best friends in the movie which made them famous.

Leaving school, they moved in together to pursue acting. A few years later, in 1996, they co-wrote “Good Will Hunting,” which earned them an Oscar for best screenplay and catapulted them to stardom. Affleck remains the youngest writer of this award. The movie, made with a $10 million budget, raked in $225 million.

Matt supported Ben even when others didn’t.

Affleck’s back tattoo, a phoenix rising from the ashes, caused a stir online several years ago. Critics, including his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and ex-girlfriend and current wife Jennifer Lopez, didn’t hold back their opinions. His ex-wife, Jennifer Garner, shared, “You know what we would say in my hometown about that? ‘Bless his heart.’”

JLo wasn’t a fan of the tattoo either, “It’s awful! What are you doing? It has too many colors. His tattoos always had too many colors. They shouldn’t be so colorful. They should be cooler.”

However, Damon defended his friend, respecting his artistic expression.

Damon supported his friend, even when others didn’t. When questioned about why he didn’t intervene to prevent his friend from getting the criticized tattoo, he responded with understanding, “It’s not one man’s job to tell another man what he can do to his back. I support him in all of his artistic expression. Because some friends take this generous approach to friendship and say, ’I love you just the way you are, even now, with your large back mural.’”

Affleck and Damon were always there for each other.

Despite facing challenges on their journey to global fame, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have stood by each other through thick and thin. They credit each other for their success, with Damon expressing, “We were really, really young, and I think we fed on each other’s enthusiasm. I don’t know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t met Ben.”

Their friendship is held in high regard — so much so that it was officially recognized when they received the Guys of the Decade award in 2016. During their acceptance speech, Ben remarked, “I think it goes without saying that this is an award Matt and I have been dreaming about since we were little boys.”

Some say Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s friendship is troubled because of Affleck’s wife, Jennifer Lopez, being too controlling. They’ve had disagreements before, and Damon feels he has to speak up again. Affleck seems influenced by Lopez, which makes Damon uncomfortable, even though Lopez supports Affleck’s sobriety. But despite everything Matt and Ben’s bond is unbreakable.

Some friendships grow stronger over time, enduring challenges and hardships. It’s not just about the connection, but also the person you’re sharing it with. Genuine friends are rare and stick with you through tough times. While having several friends may seem good, experts warn that too many can harm your health.