Matt Damon used to live here in SoFlo, on Miami Beach, but today, the A-lister was just stopping by the Magic City for a quick visit to talk with Deco! Matt stars alongside Casey Affleck in a new action-comedy. Alex Miranda just ran back from the beach to tell you the story.
We chatted just a few hours ago about their new Apple TV+ heist action-comedy which also stars rapper Jack Harlow. It’s a classic Boston crime story, but the three of us also had Miami on our minds.
Matt Damon and Casey Affleck join forces, reluctantly, in “The Instigators.”
Matt Damon (as Rory): “What if I took you hostage? I mean, like, you know, with your permission?”
Rory and Cobby are unlikely partners thrown together for a heist.
Alex Miranda: “They come from different places, they’re there for different reasons. They don’t really like each other too much. Would you describe that as your dynamic shooting the movie together?”
Matt Damon: “Yes, we come from different places, we’re there for different reasons, and we don’t like each other very much. That’s perfect.”
When it goes awry, they team up to outrun the police, backward bureaucrats and a vengeful crime boss.
Casey Affleck: “They don’t really know what they’re doing, so a lot goes wrong.”
It’s a story Casey, who is Ben Affleck’s younger brother, co-wrote.
Casey Affleck: “There’s some emotional stakes for both of us that have nothing to do with the actual money that we’re trying to steal.”
Matt’s character, Rory, is a down-on-his-luck father.
But for Cobby, this is nothing new.
Casey Affleck: “I don’t really care that much about the heist itself. I’m a little bit more interested in just having some people to hang out with, because he’s a bit lonely.”
It’s part “Park the car in Harvard Yard” Boston crime story, and part Boston comedy. But the boys probably would have preferred some Miami action.
Alex Miranda: “You’re a Miami guy, Matt. What do you get Casey up to when you guys come down here?”
Matt Damon: “Well, we got here late last night, so we didn’t get up to anything.”
Casey Affleck: “We went straight to the clubs.”
Alex Miranda: “Was it LIV or E11EVEN?”
Casey Affleck: “We did both.”
[Alex laughs.]
Alex Miranda: “What about tonight?”
Matt Damon: “We’re going back to New York, ’cause we have the premiere in New York. So, we’re hustling.”
Casey Affleck: “We’re getting robbed of our Miami experience.”
Matt Damon: “Yeah, we are. We’re getting robbed of our Miami experience.”
Plus, it also stars rapper Jack Harlow.
Jack Harlow (singing): “I’m vanilla, baby. I’ll choke you, but I ain’t no killer, baby.”
Matt Damon: “He’s a really, really good actor, and he showed up prepared and on it, and I was blown away by him.”
Casey Affleck: “He killed it. “
Matt Damon: “Yeah, the world is his oyster. He can do whatever he wants. But if he wants to make movies, he can make a lot of good ones.”
“The Instigators” streams on Apple TV+ on Aug. 9 and will play in select theaters starting Thursday.
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