Matt Damon went from obscure actor to a Hollywood "It boy" in a blink of an eye. He became such a sensation when he co-wrote (with his best friend Ben Affleck) and starred (along side Ben) in "Good Will Hunting." The movie grabbed the attention of audiences and critics alike and earned the actor numerous awards including the Oscar for Best Original Screen Play, and a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.

Matt was born October 8th, 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts and grew up in a prosperous surrounding. His father is a tax preparer and his mother is a college professor. He also has a brother, Kyle, three years his senior. When Matt was 10 he met Ben Affleck, a kid that lived down the street and two years younger than himself. The two became lifelong buddies and eventually professional collaborators.

Damon was accepted at the prestigious Harvard University where he studied English. He dropped out just 12 credits shy of his B.A. to pursue acting. He moved to Los Angeles and landed his first role. It was in a one-screen part in 1988's "Mystic Pizza" along with new comer Julia Roberts. However, his career didn't take off immediately. It wasn't until 1992 that he landed his next role. This time it was in "School Ties" and the movie was a virtual bomb.

Fed up with being a struggling actor, Matt changed his strategy and contacted Ben Affleck to help him finish a screenplay he had started working on while at Harvard. It was eventually picked up by Miramax and GusVan Sant was to direct it. Before the release of "Good Will Hunting," Matt landed a role as a drug addicted soldier in "Courage Under Fire," and gave an outstanding performance. However, any praise that the young man received for his "Courage Under Fire" was overshadowed the following year by the accolades he garnered for "Good Will Hunting."

Since then Damon hasn't had any trouble finding work. He is at the top of the A-List in Hollywood and has kept buisy with films such as "Rounders," and "Saving Private Ryan." You can catch Matt in "The Talented Mr. Ripley" in theaters now. There has been a buzz around Hollywood that this might be another Oscar jack pot for the actor.