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Video:Matt Damon Interview - Invictus and Bourne 4

with Rebecca Murray

Matt Damon had to work hard to get into shape to play Francois Pienaar, the captain of the '95 South African rugby team, in 'Invictus' directed by Clint Eastwood. On the red carpet at the LA premiere, Damon talked about the film and about 'Bourne 4.'

Transcript:Matt Damon Interview - Invictus and Bourne 4

Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the LA Premiere of Warner Bros Pictures' Invictus.

Matt Damon - 'Francois Pienaar' in Invictus

What do you think about the title?

Matt Damon: "I think it's a great title because I think everyone's going to realize it's a Mandela story so it's not one of those that's dependent on the title. It's based on that beautiful poem, and it's Latin, so everybody learned a new word this year - me, too."

Filming in South Africa, and you guys actually got to go the jail where Mandela was held, what was that experience like?

Matt Damon: "That was pretty incredible. In fact, in the script there was a scene where they go and it was a really emotional scene. It was really beautifully written. And when I talked to Francois Pienaar, he told me about the experience of going there and the affect that it had on all the guys, and how kind of sobering it was to be there. And so like when we went to do the scene, I was ready. I kind of knew what the scene was. But then we were in Robben Island and we were actually in Mandela's cell and it was impossible to kind of divorce yourself..."

You could see it on your face.

Matt Damon: Yeah, from what you were actually feeling. Which was good because it was like one of those scenes where it's like no acting required. You just go and just do what they did and think about what they thought about, and the scene kind of plays itself."

This is such an important part of history so how hard is that - how much does that rest on your shoulders? How much do you think of that when you're doing it?

Matt Damon: "A lot, and particularly because Francois is like Michael Jordan in South Africa. Everybody knows him. So I felt a lot of pressure. But then I'd look over at Morgan [Freeman] and realize he was playing Mandela. That took a lot of pressure off me."

With The Informant! and this, do you worry you're giving yourself your own competition?

Matt Damon: "No, no. I don't think about those awards because they're impossible to predict. Every year there are these performances that are like really good, and nobody sees them. You know what I mean? I think that kind of strategizing about a career just doesn't make any sense. And also it's like just thinking about the results, I'm way more interested in working with these directors and figuring out how they approach their work and trying to hopefully do that someday too. The rest of it is like people sometimes think you're the cat's meow and sometimes they think you suck, and each time you work equally hard and you put as much into it and as much of your heart and soul into it. I think you're in deep trouble if you think about results like that."

Can you comment about Bourne 4 because we know that Paul Greengrass isn't coming back ?

Matt Damon: "You know, I feel like someday it's going to happen. We just don't have a script right now and so there's no reason to try to put a round peg into a square hole. People who like the franchise, including us, the only reason to do another one is if we can make it great. And it just wasn't quite there right now, and Paul's got to go to work, you know? He's ready to do another job, and it wasn't the right job right now. So, I get it. I mean, I talk to him all the time. I wouldn't do it without him but, you know, I don't feel like he's done with it totally. You know what I mean?"

So you think if a good script came along, he'd change his mind?

Matt Damon: "Yeah. I think it would. I think if there was a great Bourne idea, he would love to do it. It's a big part of his life, too. He loves the characters, too. And so I think it's one of those wounds that time will heal."

More on Invictus:

  • Invictus Photos
  • Invictus Interviews, Poster, Credits, Trailer and Clips

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