Matt Damon Jokes About Wife Luciana’s Early Crush on Ben Affleck

Matt Damon shared a lighthearted story about his wife, Luciana Barroso, admitting she once had a crush on his longtime friend Ben Affleck — years before she and Damon ever met.

The actor recalled the moment while appearing with Affleck on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show to promote their upcoming Netflix film The Rip. Damon explained that a few months into their relationship, Luciana confessed that when she watched Good Will Hunting with her best friend years earlier, she had found Affleck more attractive.

“Her best friend thought I was the cute one, and she thought Ben was the cute one,” Damon said, joking that he teased her by asking if she had “picked the wrong guy.”

Affleck joined in on the humor, saying he never sensed any romantic interest from Luciana. He added that they now work closely together, noting that she serves as a producer on The Rip and on Animals, the next film Affleck is directing. He joked that whatever appeal he had in the movie “rubbed off” once she met him in real life.

Damon and Luciana first met in Miami in 2003 while Damon was filming Stuck on You. They married two years later, in December 2005, and share four daughters: Alexia, Isabella, Gia and Stella.

During the interview, Damon also reflected on that first night they met, admitting he couldn’t remember much else about the evening — including who he was with — because he was so focused on Luciana. Affleck jokingly blamed alcohol for Damon’s hazy memory, drawing laughter from host Howard Stern.

Despite missing the moment when the couple first crossed paths, Affleck said he has witnessed their relationship grow over the years and described their marriage as strong and genuine. “It’s a really gorgeous marriage and friendship,” he said.

The segment ended with Affleck joking about asking for Luciana’s friend’s number, only for Damon to remind him that she is married.

Damon and Affleck’s new film The Rip begins streaming on Netflix on Jan. 16.