Matt Damon’s hospital injury occurred during the filming of the 1992 movie School Ties, where a playful moment quickly escalated into an alarming incident. While the young cast, including Ben Affleck, Brendan Fraser, and Cole Hauser, were spending downtime together on set, a harmless game of throwing acorns took a dangerous turn, resulting in Damon being hit directly in the eye. This surprising event sparked a trip to the hospital and marked one of the most intense moments shared by Damon and Affleck early in their careers.
How a Lighthearted Moment Turned Serious
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon recounted the story during a recent TV appearance, describing the event as the “biggest fight” they ever had. At the time, the actors were just teenagers; Damon noted,
“We were 19, 20 years old, and there were a bunch of us.”
The group was throwing acorns at each other for fun when Affleck aimed one in Cole Hauser’s direction. Hauser dodged the acorn, but Damon was caught off guard and struck in the eye. Damon said,
“I didn’t have time to blink,”
reflecting the suddenness and severity of the injury. The impact was serious enough for Damon to receive medical attention and be hospitalized.
Affleck’s Worry Over Career Amid the Incident
While Matt Damon was primarily concerned about the state of his eyesight following the injury, Ben Affleck found himself overwhelmed with anxiety over the consequences for his acting career. Affleck mentioned that at the time he had very few lines in the film and feared his future was at risk. He admitted, “Mind you, I had like three lines in the movie. And while I cared about Matt having vision, my first thought was, I gotta be fired for this.“ This highlighted Affleck’s distressed state, caught between friendship and professional worry on the hectic set.
The Eyepatch and an Unlikely Bond
As a result of the injury, Damon was required to wear an eyepatch during filming for several days. Coincidentally, the movie’s first assistant director, Newt Arnold, was also sporting an eyepatch at the same time. Damon later found humor in the situation, recalling how odd it looked with both of them wearing eyepatches simultaneously. They even took photos together, turning a frightening and tense moment into a memorable, if unusual, bonding experience among the cast and crew.
Why This Moment Remains Significant
The incident on the School Ties set sheds light on not only the early pressures Damon and Affleck faced as rising actors but also the fragile nature of their journey in Hollywood. Matt Damon’s hospital injury is a stark reminder of how quickly a playful interaction can become serious, especially in a high-stress environment like a movie set. This story also reveals the genuine friendship between Damon and Affleck, who navigated this unsettling experience together before achieving their later success. Looking ahead, such moments underscore the unexpected challenges that can accompany the path to stardom.
