Twenty years have passed since Matt Damon said "I do" to Luciana Barroso in a quiet civil ceremony in Manhattan on December 9, 2005. What began with a film shoot in Miami Beach has blossomed into one of Hollywood's most down-to-earth love stories.
Flashback to 2003, and Damon was filming "Stuck on You" in Miami. It wasn't the film's plot that changed his life, but rather a chance encounter at a bar with Luciana Barroso, a bartender and single mom. Her disinterest in Hollywood chaos made Damon take notice. She was clear about her priorities – her four-year-old daughter came first – and Damon admired her for that.
"I loved that she was a mom," Damon once shared, reflecting on the early days of their relationship.
Two years later, they exchanged vows, trading the Miami bar for a New York courthouse.
Damon, known for playing tough characters on screen, is a devoted family man off-screen. Together with Luciana, they've built a close-knit family. Their daughters Isabella, Gia, and Stella have grown up amidst the glamour of film premieres, but the couple has kept their everyday life remarkably normal.
Luciana's daughter, Alexia, from a previous relationship, is lovingly embraced by Damon as his own. During the pandemic, when Alexia caught COVID-19, Damon publicly shared his concern and relief upon her recovery, showing the depth of their family bond.
Damon's Hollywood journey started long before meeting Luciana. Raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he was drawn to storytelling from an early age. While at Harvard, he penned the first draft of "Good Will Hunting," which later catapulted him to fame and earned him an Oscar.
His filmography is a testament to his versatility – from "Mystic Pizza" to "The Martian," Damon's career spans genres and decades, earning him multiple Oscar nominations. Yet, it was the quirky comedy "Stuck on You" that led him to a life-changing love story.
Their union, a blend of Hollywood glitz and everyday simplicity, has stood the test of time, proving that sometimes the most extraordinary love stories have the humblest beginnings.