Matt Damon says he and Ben Affleck are getting ’emotional’ about their kids growing up

Matt Damon is embracing a major life transition — and he’s not navigating it alone.

The Oscar winner recently opened up about entering the empty nester stage alongside his longtime best friend and business partner, Ben Affleck, revealing that the two have become surprisingly emotional as they watch their children grow up and prepare to leave home.

Speaking with People, Damon shared that he and Affleck, who have been close friends for more than four decades, often find themselves reflecting on how quickly the years have passed.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Are Entering a “New Phase”

“We’re at very similar stages with the kids, and it’s definitely a new phase of life,” Damon said, noting that it doesn’t take much these days for the pair to become sentimental.

Damon, 55, is a father to four daughters: Alexia, 27, Isabella, 20, Gia, 17, and Stella, 15. Meanwhile, Affleck, 53, shares Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 13, with his ex-wife, Jennifer Garner.

With two of Damon’s daughters already out of the house and Affleck’s eldest children reaching adulthood, both actors are experiencing firsthand how quickly family life can change.

The two Hollywood stars have remained inseparable throughout much of their careers, famously winning an Academy Award together for Good Will Hunting in 1998 before reuniting decades later to launch their production company, Artists Equity, in 2022.

Now, instead of discussing scripts and movie premieres, many of their conversations revolve around parenthood and the bittersweet reality of their children growing up.

Damon Is Focusing on Being Present

While Damon admits it’s difficult to accept that his daughters are becoming adults, he’s trying to focus on appreciating the time he still has with them.

“I feel like we are facing it and embracing the fact that it’s happening,” he explained. “We’ve been talking a lot about presence and really trying to be in the moment.”

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The actor acknowledged that one of the hardest parts of parenting is recognizing that time keeps moving, no matter how much you’d like to slow it down.

“Because you can’t slow time down, the only way to really do it is to really be there and be in it,” he added.

It’s a mindset Damon says his entire family is working on, especially in an era where phones and distractions are constantly competing for attention.

The Damon Family’s Non-Negotiable Tradition

For years, Damon and his wife, Luciana Barroso, have maintained one important household rule: family dinner is mandatory.

“We have family dinner every night, and that’s non-negotiable, and it’s always been that way,” Damon shared.

However, even long-standing traditions aren’t immune to modern distractions.

The actor recalled a recent moment when one of his daughters pointed out that, despite everyone sitting at the table together, they weren’t actually connecting.

“One of my daughters said, ‘Well, family dinner, last night we didn’t talk,'” Damon remembered.

The comment was a wake-up call.

“We realized, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re right,'” he continued. “You can get lost in that routine a little bit and not appreciate why you established the routine in the first place.”

A Friendship That’s Evolved With Time

Damon and Affleck’s friendship has endured for more than 45 years, surviving Hollywood success, marriages, children, and career changes. These days, their bond has taken on a new dimension as they support one another through parenting milestones.

Though both actors remain busy with their respective careers — Damon is currently promoting Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey, while Affleck has several projects in development — family remains their top priority.

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And as they prepare to send more of their children into adulthood, Damon says they’re both learning the same lesson: enjoy every moment while you can.

After all, as the actor put it, time isn’t slowing down anytime soon.