Matt Damon has said that starring alongside Robin Williams and Tom Hanks early in his career taught him how to carry a film as its lead actor. The actor made the comments while promoting his forthcoming role in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, reflecting on how observing more experienced co-stars shaped his approach to headlining major productions.

Damon credited Williams, with whom he starred in Good Will Hunting, and Hanks, his co-star in Saving Private Ryan, as key influences on his understanding of screen leadership. He suggested that watching how both actors balanced performance with the responsibility of anchoring a production gave him a template he still draws on, now applying those lessons as he takes on a lead role in Nolan's high-profile adaptation of Homer's epic.