Matt Damon is sharing a funny and surprisingly relatable story from the early days of his relationship with wife Luciana Barroso, and it involves his longtime best friend Ben Affleck. During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Damon revealed that Barroso admitted she originally had a crush on Affleck before she ever met Damon. The confession came just a few months into their relationship, and Damon said it caught him completely off guard.
According to Damon, the story started when he met Barroso’s best friend from high school. That friend mentioned that the two women went to see Good Will Hunting together back in the day. Damon and Affleck famously co-starred in the 1997 film, which became a career-defining moment for both actors. That’s when the unexpected detail came out.
Luciana Barroso reportedly thought Ben Affleck was “the cute one”
Damon explained that Barroso’s best friend had always been Team Matt, but Luciana was leaning the other way.
“I met her best friend from high school, and it came out that the two of them went and saw Good Will Hunting together,” Damon said on the show. He added that Barroso’s best friend thought Damon was the cute one, while Barroso thought Affleck was the cuter of the pair.
Damon then joked about the moment Barroso admitted it directly to him.
“So she admitted to me,” Damon said, before adding with a laugh, “I’m like, ‘You got the wrong one?!’”
Damon noted that his wife told him this story more than two decades ago, and it remains a memorable moment in their relationship history.
Ben Affleck reacts and jokes along with Damon and Stern
Affleck was also part of the conversation on Stern’s show and didn’t hesitate to play along with the humor. He pointed out that Barroso has been involved with the duo’s new movie project, The Rip, where she worked as a producer. Affleck praised her work and made it clear he never sensed anything unusual.
“She’s a great producer and a really good friend,” Affleck said, adding that he “never got that vibe from her.”
Stern also leaned into the comedy of the situation, suggesting it would be “devastating” if Barroso left Damon for Affleck. Damon replied that losing two of the most important people in his life at the same time would be awful.
“If my two favorite people just exited my life? Yeah, that would suck,” Damon joked.
Affleck also laughed, adding his own quick one-liner during the exchange.
Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso’s relationship timeline
Damon and Barroso first met in 2003 while Damon was filming Stuck on You in Miami. Barroso was working as a bartender at the time. The couple married in 2005 and have built a long-lasting family life together. They share four daughters: Alexia, Barroso’s daughter from a previous relationship, along with Isabella, Gia, and Stella.
Affleck also spoke warmly about the couple’s marriage, describing their partnership as strong and supportive even when they are apart. Damon and Affleck’s decades-long friendship remains one of Hollywood’s most famous bonds, built through shared success, personal loyalty, and career milestones. And now, it also includes one more story fans won’t forget.
