Matt Damon Was Frustrated With Hollywood Casting After Losing a Career-Defining Role to Edward Norton
When an opportunity slips past you, it’s time you take charge of your destiny and create many such opportunities for yourself. That is exactly what Matt Damon did. In an industry ruled by competition and the race to the top, it’s difficult to land the roles actors desperately want. Rather than losing heart and going down a spiral, it’s always best to work harder and look for more avenues that can boost your stardom.
Matt Damon’s Struggle to Stardom
Matt Damon did not always have it easy in Hollywood. While he is considered one of the top actors of our generation presently, it was not always like this. In the 1990s, when Damon was just getting started, he starred in movies in quite minor roles. The movie that established Damon’s range and versatility was Good Will Hunting which he co-wrote with his friend, Ben Affleck. The movie proved to the masses that Damon had more talent than they could imagine and he was mature enough to see it through.
The moment in time that inspired Damon to write a movie and think of a story for himself was when he lost a role to Edward Norton, another great actor of this generation. Primal Fear, starring Richard Gere, was the movie that Damon auditioned for. The movie is a gripping thriller about a teen accused of murder. Based on a book by William Diehl, the story had complicated situations with complex characters and hence demanded a truly magnificent actor.
However, since the movie already had an exceptional cast of actors, the makers decided to cast a young new actor as Aaron, the accused teen. Damon and Affleck were young and struggling actors at that time, so they both wanted to bag Aaron’s role in Primal Fear.
While appearing on the podcast Off Camera with Sam Jones, Damon expressed his frustration over losing the role to Norton. He started doubting his skill as an actor and was about to go down a dark rabbit hole when he decided to change his perspective. He took charge of his destiny and decided to write a role for himself that would be his shot at stardom.
Damon and Affleck sold their screenplay to Harvey Weinstein and made Good Will Hunting that became a huge success. It propelled Damon and Affleck’s careers, consolidating their positions in the industry.
Edward Norton’s Career-Defining Role
Primal Fear was Edward Norton’s role that defined his career trajectory and explored his immense talents. Earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Norton became a top choice for directors to play a role that demands a complex psyche. Although he took a risk by taking on such a dynamic character, Norton came through beautifully and shocked the audience with his portrayal.
In the same year, Norton’s fame doubled with two more movies- Everyone Says I Love You and The People vs. Larry Flynt. Today, Norton is a well-reputed actor who even played the superhero Hulk in the MCU for a short while.
