Matthew Paige Damon was born on October 8, 1970, in Boston, Massachusetts, to Kent Damon, a stockbroker, realtor, and tax preparer, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, an early childhood education professor at Lesley University. His father was of English and Scottish descent, and his mother is of Finnish and Swedish ancestry.
He grew up in a stable community, and was raised near actor Ben Affleck. Damon attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and performed in a number of theater productions during his time there. He attended Harvard University as an English major, but kept skipping classes to pursue acting projects.
Damon's early film career included roles in "Rising Son" (1990),"School Ties" (1992),and "Geronimo: An American Legend" (1993). However, it was his role in "Good Will Hunting" (1997),a screenplay he co-wrote with Ben Affleck, that brought him widespread recognition and critical acclaim.
Damon's subsequent film career has included a wide range of roles in movies such as "Saving Private Ryan" (1998),"Rounders" (1998),"Dogma" (1999),"The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999),"Titan A.E." (2000),and "The Legend of Bagger Vance" (2000).
In the 2000s, Damon appeared in a number of successful films, including "The Bourne Identity" (2002),"The Bourne Supremacy" (2004),"The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007),"Ocean's Eleven" (2001),"Ocean's Twelve" (2004),and "Ocean's Thirteen" (2007).
In addition to his film career, Damon is also known for his personal life. He is married to Luciana Damon, and they have four daughters together. Damon is a big fan of the Boston Red Sox and has formed great friendships with his Ocean's co-stars, George Clooney and Brad Pitt. He and actor Ben Affleck have remained lifelong friends and collaborators.