Hollywood actor Matt Damon has revealed that his wife, Luciana Barroso, underwent brain surgery following a brain aneurysm just days before making a surprise appearance at the 2024 Oscars celebrations.
Speaking in a cover interview published by GQ and cited by Fox News, Damon opened up about the frightening family health scare that occurred ahead of the Academy Awards, where his film Oppenheimer took home Best Picture.
“We had this whole scary thing happen where my wife had a brain aneurysm,” Damon said, adding, “She’s totally fine, thank God, but she had this brain surgery the week before the Oscars. But it was the first night she felt good enough to get up and had her energy back.”
Despite having undergone surgery only seven days prior, Barroso was determined to join her husband at an Oscars after-party, wanting to ensure they did not miss another major Hollywood milestone together.
“And she surprised me and got a dress, and we went out to the after-party because she remembered that the last time it happened, I didn’t do it,” Damon recalled, adding, “She was like, ‘This time we’re going out.’ And it was pretty heroic of her to do that and really meaningful.”
The moment carried extra significance for the couple due to a past regret. Nearly two decades earlier, Martin Scorsese won his first Best Director Oscar for The Departed (2007), which starred Damon.
At the time, Damon was shooting second-unit scenes for The Bourne Ultimatum in Miami, where he lived with Barroso and their infant daughter, and chose to watch the broadcast from bed.
“And I realised in that moment I hadn’t even considered that that could happen,” Damon admitted, noting he had not thought about the film winning Best Picture. “And I turned to Lucy, and I was like, ‘we should be there!'” he said, according to Fox News.
After receiving congratulatory calls from cast members and studio executives, he realised he had missed a career-defining celebration, “I totally blew it.”
A happy family
Damon and Barroso, who married in a private ceremony in 2005, share three daughters: Isabella (20), Gia (17), and Stella (15). They also share a close family bond with Barroso’s 27-year-old daughter, Alexia, from her previous marriage to Arbello, whom Damon helped raise.
The actor has credited his family with keeping his professional career grounded, noting they historically adhere to a strict two-week limit on how long he spends away for filming.
That dynamic was tested during production on Christopher Nolan’s 2026 feature The Odyssey, which required Damon to be away for 3.5 weeks during its opening schedule.
“It was a sacrifice for them, and they were awesome about it,” Damon said.
Looking ahead, Damon also praised long-time friend and collaborator Ben Affleck for prioritising his children over demanding projects.
Reflecting on their creative journey together since Good Will Hunting, Damon said, “I have no right to expect anything like that to happen again,” adding, “I just want to make good stuff and definitely keep working with Ben.”
Source: Khaleej Times