Matt Damon is giving movie fans a glimpse of the films that influenced his career and creative tastes in his latest Closet Picks. Damon also shared a personal take on the films and filmmakers that have inspired him, with insights from longtime collaborators Steven Soderbergh and Gus Van Sant. Damon recently headlined Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, bringing his star power to the epic adaptation in one of his most anticipated roles yet.

Damon has now shared the creative mindset that has shaped his career, explaining why success should never stop you from taking risks. 

Matt Damon has shared the creative lesson he took from Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic, stressing the need to keep challenging yourself when your career is going well. While talking on Criterion's Closet Picks, Damon opened up about his long relationship with Soderbergh, explaining how the filmmaker’s style has shaped his view of the creative process. His lesson is simple: success is never a cause for settling down. Instead, when things are going well creatively, artists should continue to experiment and take risks toward new ideas and challenges. 

“You want to keep pushing. You do not want to just do the same thing over and over and over,” Damon said, emphasizing the importance of continuing to experiment and embrace new creative challenges.

Damon, whose current net worth is 170 million, went on to say that he chose Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic out of deep respect for the director, with whom he has worked on about 10 movies. He praised Soderbergh’s atypical filmmaking process, where he wears several hats himself and lets actors see the film come together almost immediately after filming. During the same interview with Criterion, Damon also recalled Soderbergh’s reaction to his idea but pointed to the film’s incredible performances, particularly the standout work from Benicio del Toro. 

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Damon also opened up about the other movies and the filmmaking style that influenced him. 

Matt Damon said during the Criterion's interview, You Can Count on Me was his first movie with director Kenneth Lonergan, a 2000 drama worth finding. His eclectic taste in film, ranging from the work of longtime collaborators to major directors, is evident in his own choices. It includes Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic and S**, Lies and Videotape, Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho, and classics like Double Indemnity, 12 Angry Men and No Country for Old Men. 

Damon’s Criterion Closet Picks selections are more than a list of his favorite movies; they provide a window into the creative influences that helped shape his career. Whether it be the visionary filmmaking of Soderbergh or the deeply personal storytelling style of Lonergan, all choices represent his love for filmmakers who are willing to take chances and try something new. His insights also show us a lesson outside the world of cinema in that being creative is not an excuse to stand still. Ultimately, Damon’s reflections offer a reminder that true creative growth comes from staying curious, embracing risks, and never being afraid to venture beyond what already works.

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Which of Matt Damon’s Criterion Closet picks would you add to your watchlist? Let us know in the comment section.