Matt Damon Says Clint Eastwood Rejected Multiple Takes on 'Invictus': ‘You Wanna Waste Everybody’s Time?’

Matt Damon says one of Hollywood’s most legendary directors taught him a blunt, unforgettable rule about movie sets — one that changed how he thought about acting, preparation, and what “getting it right” really means when the cameras are already rolling.

Matt Damon is revisiting a moment from early in his career that still stands out as a crash course in Clint Eastwood’s famously efficient directing style.

The 55-year-old actor opened up about his first experience working with Eastwood while filming "Invictus," sharing the story during a recent appearance on the "Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend" podcast.

Damon, who joined the cast to portray South African rugby captain Francois Pienaar, described arriving on set excited to collaborate with a director he had long admired, only to learn immediately that Eastwood was not interested in endless tweaking once the cameras rolled.

Damon’s Months of Preparation for "Invictus"

Damon emphasized on the podcast that he did not walk into the role casually. Playing Pienaar required him to tackle an accent he considered especially challenging, and he said he dedicated months to getting it right.

“So I was playing a South African rugby player, and that’s a really tough accent to do,” Damon explained, adding that he “spent six months” working with a dialect coach to master the sound and rhythm of Pienaar’s voice.

With that level of preparation behind him, Damon said he came to set expecting the typical rhythm of multiple takes. That approach can give actors room to test different emotional shades or refine tricky dialogue. But on his very first day, he realized Eastwood’s method was different.

The First-Take Surprise on Set

Damon told O’Brien that he showed up feeling ready, motivated, and eager to make the most of what he saw as a a rare opportunity. In his mind, the first take was only the beginning of the process.

“I showed up, and I am ready, and it’s my chance to work with one of my heroes,” Damon told O’Brien. “The very first take, I did it… There are a number of ways I’m thinking of doing the scene, and he just goes, ‘Cut, print, move on.’”

The speed caught Damon off guard. He recalled trying to stop the production flow in the moment, wanting a second chance so he could attempt a different version of the scene, something he assumed would be routine.

“I go, ‘Hang on, hang on, hang on, boss. I want to, you know, I want to do another one. That was the first one!’” he recalled. Eastwood’s reply, as Damon described it, was blunt enough to instantly reset his expectations for the entire shoot. “Why? You wanna waste everybody’s time?” the veteran director had told him.

What Damon Says He Learned From Eastwood

While Damon admitted the exchange was sharp, he also made a point of stressing that it did not leave him bitter. Instead, he framed it as an example of Eastwood’s leadership style that prioritized the crew’s time and energy.

Damon said that despite the directness, “there was a kindness” to Eastwood’s rejection of additional takes, and he called the filmmaker “a lovely guy.” To Damon, the moment was not about shutting him down as an actor. It was about maintaining a working environment where people feel valued.

"His whole mentality was … your crew will go to the ends of the earth for you if as long as you're not taxing them on every shot,” Damon explained. “When we need to get in there, we get in there. But for the most part, we can … professional actors are gonna show up with something good. We keep the momentum."

In other words, Damon suggested that Eastwood’s approach relies on trust. Trust that actors will arrive prepared, and trust that a strong first take often contains something alive that can get dulled by repetition.

For Damon, who came into the project thinking in terms of options and variations, the experience became a reminder that a set runs on more than creative ambition. It runs on rhythm, morale, and the shared sense that everyone’s work matters.

Why "Invictus" Still Resonates

Released in 2009, "Invictus" told the story of Nelson Mandela’s efforts to heal and unify a post-apartheid South Africa through the country’s hosting of the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Damon’s role as Pienaar placed him at the center of that narrative, alongside Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of Mandela.

The film earned major awards attention, including three Golden Globe nominations and two Academy Award nominations. Damon was among those recognized, landing a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars for his performance.

For Matt Damon, the memories tied to "Invictus" are not only about the recognition. They are also about stepping onto a set led by Eastwood and learning within minutes what kind of director he was. He kept the cameras rolling, expected actors to be ready, and refused to let perfectionism slow everyone down.