“ If this interview is totally bland? Nobody who gives me a job is ever gonna give a shit. The only thing that can happen to my career in this situation is that I can get hurt. And the only way I can get hurt is if I talk too much. In my experience,...

If this interview is totally bland? Nobody who gives me a job is ever gonna give a shit. The only thing that can happen to my career in this situation is that I can get hurt. And the only way I can get hurt is if I talk too much. In my experience, the more you say, the dirtier you feel later when you look at it. Because it’s personal. Like if the tape recorder weren’t here? If you turned that thing off? I’d be very open about my life and who I am. It’s not like I’m trying to create some mysterious image, which is all bullshit. Like, “What are you, mysterious?” Gimme a fucking break. But the reality is, from a creative standpoint, it hurts. Because the more I say, the harder it is for you to accept me as anything other than the person you know, and now you know things about me, you know?

Matt Damon, on celebrity interviews, from GQ (2007)