Matt Damon shared bank account details from his youth with Ben Affleck, revealing an inside story about their early partnership. Damon recently discussed this unique arrangement, highlighting their close bond and how it shaped their careers as actors in Boston during the 1980s.
Early Collaboration Between Damon and Affleck
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have shared a longstanding partnership—from co-writing the Oscar-winning film Good Will Hunting in 1997 to co-founding a production company in recent years. Long before their Hollywood success, their friendship saw them joining financial forces while they were teenagers aspiring to break into acting.
A Joint Bank Account for Budding Careers
During their early days, Damon and Affleck decided to combine their earnings from acting gigs into a single bank account. This account, opened at BayBank—a Boston-area institution that no longer exists—served as a shared resource that they both used to invest in their acting futures. The funds went toward essential expenses related to their ambitions, including periodic travel to New York City for auditions. The account also supported lighter moments, funding visits to the arcade and occasional purchases of beer.
The Secret Password and Its Inspiration
On the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Damon disclosed the actual code that allowed access to their joint bank account. He said,
“The code to the account was ‘riverp,’ because River Phoenix was an actor that we really admired. He was our age and he was getting the kind of parts that we wanted to play, and so that was our secret code to get into our shared bank account.”
– Matt Damon, Actor
Context and Legacy of the Shared Account
Though the idea of using ‘riverp’ as a password might amuse fans, Damon clarified this was from their teenage years in the 1980s. With BayBank no longer in operation, the story stands as both a nostalgic anecdote and a glimpse into the foundation of their enduring partnership. Their innovative approach to supporting each other financially not only underlines their resourcefulness but also hints at why their alliance has lasted through decades of collaboration in the entertainment industry.
The Impact of Their Unconventional Start
Sharing personal stories like this offers a window into the practical steps Damon and Affleck took to pursue their ambition. The legacy of their joint account demonstrates early trust and teamwork that ultimately helped propel both actors to lasting success. As they continue to collaborate on projects, this story remains a testament to the creative ways young allies can nurture their dreams, no matter how unconventional the method.
