Sharanya Sankar
Matt Damon is easily one of the biggest and most bankable stars in Hollywood today. With his multifaceted skill as an actor and an award-winning writer, Damon, along with his close friend Ben Affleck, has had the golden touch with everything that they have attempted. As far as commercial blockbusters go, The Martian actor has been a regular feature in many films that have set the box office on fire.
With an impressive pedigree like Damon has, it is difficult to imagine that the star could have been rejected from any role. But this was, in fact, the case with J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot. Damon, who was reported to have been considered for the famous part of Captain Kirk, did not get the role owing to his age at the time.
Here’s Why Matt Damon Did Not Land The Star Trek Role
In 2009, director and producer J J Abrams took up the ambitious project of reviving the cult Star Trek franchise and take it in a new direction. One of the iconic characters who defined the narrative was Captain Kirk, played originally by William Shatner, who became a sensation after his performance in the film. Naturally, Abrams was looking for someone to fill Shatner’s big shoes and one of the names considered was Matt Damon. The Good Will Hunting star though, clarified that he, in fact, did not get the role owing to his age at the time.
“I finally called J.J. Abrams because I was like, ‘Dude, what is going on?’ He was like, ‘You’re way too f***ing old! You’re like 15 years too old to play Captain Kirk in this movie’. It’s basically when James T. Kirk gets out of the academy, so they’re gonna need a 25-year-old guy. I’m 36,”
Ultimately, Damon gave way as expected, for a younger actor, Chris Pine, who went on to make a big name for himself after his impressive performance as Captain Kirk. The Oscar winner though, was interestingly considered for another role in the film which he rejected.
Matt Damon Refused The Role Of Captain Kirk’s Father
While Oscar-winner Matt Damon would have done justice to the role of Captain Kirk in J J Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, the part was not to be for him owing to his age. But Abrams, who cast Chris Pine eventually, clarified that he was in fact interested in roping in the Ocean’s Eleven star for a key cameo which the celebrity eventually rejected.
“I went to Damon for the role of Kirk’s father, and he declined in the most gracious and understandable and logical of reasons”
As fate would have it, this small but significant cameo of George Kirk ultimately went to Marvel star Chris Hemsworth which turned out to be a breakthrough role for him before gaining superstardom through his character of Thor.
Source: IGN
