They make up one of Hollywood's most enduring friendships and professional partnerships, so it's not a shock that Chris Messina fanboyed at the thought of working with both Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
The Mindy Project star had frequently collaborated with Ben Affleck in the past, appearing as a CIA operative in Affleck's Best Picture-winning film Argo and co-starring alongside the actor-director in the 2016 crime drama Live by Night. But Messina's performance as sports agent David Falk in the Air Jordans origin story Air was the first time he got to join forces with Affleck and his longtime famous pal Matt Damon.
The thought of working with the Good Will Hunting dynamic duo clearly tickled Messina, as he told People he had to try "to remain cool" while rehearsing onset with the two actors:
In Air, Affleck — who also directed the biographical sports drama — plays Nike's co-founder and CEO Phil Knight, while Damon takes on the role of the brand's basketball talent scout Sonny Vaccaro.
It's the buddies' first onscreen reunion since 2021's The Last Duel, which they also co-wrote, and the ninth film they've been in together, along with Field of Dreams, School Ties, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and, of course, Good Will Hunting.
Messina told People that despite the pair's Oscar-winning bona fides — Ben and Matt famously won an Academy Award for Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting, Damon has been nominated four other times and Ben also has that big Argo win —there was "no ego" from either performer on Air:
Messina also said Affleck had "the highest cinematic IQ of anyone [he] ever met" and that the filmmaker created "a really, really fun set" for the sports film:
Clearly Affleck's approach worked: Air scored two 2024 Golden Globe nominations, one for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and one for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Damon's performance.
You, too, can join Chris Messina in fanboying over Ben and Matt's onscreen reunion in Air, by streaming it with an Amazon Prime Video subscription