Hollywood icon ripped to shreds at 54
In the sequels, Damon was further pushed with fight choreography and intensive strength and cardio training. Picture: Supplied
In the film, Damon wore a wig, a moustache, and even a prosthetic nose to commit to the character. Picture: Supplied
Apparently being a whistleblower is not as sexy as it may seem. Picture: Supplied
Coming off his role as a chubby whistleblower in The Informant!, Matt Damon needed to whip himself back into shape to play South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar in Invictus. Picture: Supplied
Matt Damon himself is 178cm, and Pienaar, the South African rugby star he was playing, is 191cm, so Damon had to gain muscle in order to play the character convincingly. Picture: Supplied
To prepare for this role, he began exercising vigorously, with movements such as lifting weights and sprints. Director Clint Eastwood said, 'This film is the opposite of The Informant!, as far as physical conditioning goes. I think he liked it, an excuse to get into shape.' Picture: Supplied
Matt Damon returns back to the war scene in the 2010 film Green Zone, playing Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller.
For this role, he had to return to intense weapons and strength conditioning training to achieve the lean, muscular build he has in the film. Picture: Universal
For those wanting to achieve his look, a bootcamp style is recommended. This combines strength exercises with high intensity cardio. Picture: Supplied
Matt Damon in a scene from Green Zone. Picture: Universal
His character in Green Zone is based on real-life Weapons of Mass Destruction hunter Richard 'Monty' Gonzales. He was hired to work as a Technical Adviser on the film. Picture: Supplied
Elysium is a 2013 dystopian science fiction film, set in a world where the rich thrive in an advanced space station and the poor struggle back on Earth. Picture: Supplied
Protagonist Max, played by Matt Damon, is told he is dying from radiation poisoning and needs to get to Elysium to save himself. Picture: Supplied
Speaking to Variety, Damon revealed that director Neill Blomkamp had a strict expectation on what he was required to look like: 'he actually had a picture with my face tacked onto this guy with this body, and they literally hired me a trainer and I went to him with the picture. It was four hours a day in the gym - and I'm not 26 anymore, but I got into shape.' Supplied by Sony Pictures Australia.
He was also required to shave his head, a totally new look for the actor. Picture: Supplied
The weapons training is paying off. Supplied by Sony Pictures Australia.
Don't mess with Max. Picture: AP Photo/Columbia Pictures, TriStar, Kimberly French
Hopefully this is set in a future, far, far, FAR away? Picture: AP Photo/TriStar, Columbia Pictures
He scrubbed up nicely at the premiere of Elysium in Sydney, 2013. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
Sharlto Copley and Matt Damon at the premiere of Elysium. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
2015 film The Martian is a science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott. The film is based on Andy Weir's novel The Martian, and is about an astronaut (played by Matt Damon) who is left stranded on Mars and is forced to adapt in order to survive. Picture: 20th Century Fox via AP
Damon was required to look leaner and aged due to his character story of surviving in space. His character is only able to harvest potatoes for food, a feat even the biggest hot chippy lover might struggle with. Picture: Fox films
While he reportedly lost some weight for certain scenes, he didn't lose a Courage Under Fire level amount of weight. For later scenes in the movie, where his character was to look very emaciated due to the lengthy amount of time spent in space, a body double was used. Picture: Fox films
Damon also donned a bit of facial hair in the film, but it is widely believed that was added in post-production. Picture: Fox films
Matt Damon won The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role in The Martian. Picture: Fox films
2017 sci-fi film Downsizing tells the story of Paul (Matt Damon) who decides to undergo 'downsizing', a procedure that offers a better life by shrinking people. Picture: IMDb
Matt Damon appeared fully bald in the film, but he was not required to shave his head. Instead, he wore a skull cap and his eyebrows were digitally removed. Picture: IMDb
The movie was a departure from what Damon usually stars in, and rated poorly. Picture: IMDb
On May 31, 2025, he stepped out looking unlike his usual clean-cut movie star self when he headlined Netflix's Tudum. Picture: Michael Tran / AFP
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