Matt Damon has had a busy year participating in numerous interviews, fueled by his enthusiasm for the film Stillwater and promotion for The Last Duel, a movie in which he starred and co-wrote.

Damon has discussed what it means to be part of the exclusive “A-list” of actors, but he’s also shared moments from his past when he was concerned about the future of his acting career.

Between 1997’s Good Will Hunting and 2002’s The Bourne Identity, there was a time when Damon was genuinely worried his acting days were numbered.

He explored alternative opportunities in Hollywood, such as writing.

During an appearance on the Hot Ones series, Damon revealed that it was Steven Soderbergh who ultimately restored his confidence in acting. Here’s the story:

Soderbergh approached Damon for The Informant! at a low point in his career, just before The Bourne Identity’s release.

Damon, who had experienced a series of film flops, couldn’t believe Soderbergh wanted him for the lead role and not for writing.

Prior to this, Damon had already demonstrated his writing prowess, co-creating Good Will Hunting with Ben Affleck.

His acting career seemed to progress smoothly from Good Will Hunting to Saving Private Ryan, and then to The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Soon after, he appeared in Ocean’s Eleven and eventually starred in his career-defining hit, The Bourne Identity.

However, there was a brief period before those last two films where Damon appeared in largely forgettable movies like The Legend of Bagger Vance and the critically panned All The Pretty Horses.

During this time, Damon feared for his career’s future, but it was Soderbergh who rekindled his passion for acting and helped him get back on track.

The Informant! was released in 2009 after The Bourne Identity had already gained widespread popularity and spawned a successful franchise.

Damon fondly remembers the film as one of his favorite projects and is proud of the movie they made.

Looking forward, Damon is slated to appear in the MCU’s Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022 and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer alongside Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, and Cillian Murphy.

He continues to be highly active in the industry, producing numerous projects and recently co-writing The Last Duel.

It’s hard to imagine that just two decades ago, he thought his career might be over, but it demonstrates how a single twist of fate can significantly impact a Hollywood career.