Matt Damon said working with Clint Eastwood was both unforgettable and eye-opening.
The actor who starred in the 2009 drama Invictus revealed that Eastwood’s famously efficient directing style caught him off guard.
Damon had spent six months perfecting a South African accent for his role as rugby captain Francois Pienaar.
He worked daily with renowned dialogue coach Tim Monich.
“South Africans speak English, but it’s like their tongue does the exact opposite thing that ours does,” Damon explained on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.
When filming began Damon was ready to showcase his preparation.
But Eastwood had other ideas.
“The very first take, I did it,” Damon recalled. “He goes, ‘Cut. Print. Move on.’ And I go, ‘Hang on. Boss, you want to do another one?’ And he goes, ‘Why? You wanna waste everybody’s time?’”
Though Damon was initially surprised, he came to understand Eastwood’s philosophy: don’t overtax the crew unless necessary.
“There was a kindness to the words from the really lovely guy,” Damon said noting that Eastwood trusted his actors to deliver without endless retakes.
When Damon reunited with Eastwood for the 2010 drama Hereafter, the director’s approach shifted.
A pivotal scene with a 9-year-old non-actor required patience, and Eastwood allowed for nearly 40 takes.
“We had done one take for everybody all through Invictus, Morgan Freeman, everybody gets one take. We must have done 40 takes with this little boy,” Damon said showing Eastwood’s flexibility when the situation demanded it.
