Matt Damon borrows Sean Penn's dating warning for his four daughters' dates

Matt Damon said his daughters have shown great judgment so far as he reflected on parenting and shared a memorable story involving Sean Penn
Matt Damon revealed the memorable dating warning he borrowed from Sean Penn while discussing his daughters (John Nacion/FilmMagic, Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Matt Damon revealed the memorable dating warning he borrowed from Sean Penn while discussing his daughters (John Nacion/FilmMagic, Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hollywood's favorite girl dad is opening up about the trials and tribulations of watching his daughters enter the dating world. While promoting his highly anticipated film 'The Odyssey', Matt Damon got candid about how he navigates the high-stakes world of teenage romance in his home.

Known for his relatable charm, the Oscar winner tries to play it cool when his daughters bring dates home. He is always open to advice from his A-list friends, and one terrifyingly blunt warning from fellow actor Sean Penn might just be his ultimate secret weapon.

Matt Damon attends the
Matt Damon attended the world premiere of 'AIR' during the 2023 SXSW Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas (Getty Images)

Matt Damon shares the Sean Penn dating warning he uses for his daughters' dates

The 'Jason Bourne' star and his wife, Luciana Barroso, share a close-knit blended family. Together, they are parents to Isabella, 20, Gia, 17, and Stella, 15, as well as Damon's 27-year-old stepdaughter, Alexia.

Damon sat down to discuss his parenting approach as his kids grow up. Fortunately for the young men in their lives, Damon hasn't had to unleash his inner action hero just yet.

“I’m pretty kind,” Damon assured the outlet, adding, “They so far have very wonderful taste.”

That said, Damon shared that he's always ready to take inspiration from his pal, Penn, who once made a veiled threat to daughter Dylan Penn's date when she was a teenager.

Sean Penn speaks onstage during a CAA Screening and Filmmaker Q&A of 'September 5' in Los Angeles at Creative Artists Agency on December 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, California (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
Sean Penn spoke during a CAA screening and filmmaker Q&A for 'September 5' in Los Angeles (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

“My favorite line that I’ve ever seen was Sean Penn’s,” Damon said with a laugh. “A guy came over for the first date, he’s about to take her out and apparently Sean said, ‘Whatever you do to her, I’m gonna do to you when you get home. Have a nice night.’”

The line immediately sparked laughter from fellow 'The Odyssey' star Anne Hathaway, as Damon quipped, “That man doesn’t lie.”

Matt Damon recalls his daughters' reaction to 'The Odyssey'

Beyond the dating world, Damon recently discovered that his daughters have exceptional taste in cinema, too. While they frequently joke around at his expense, the actor was visibly relieved when they gave rave reviews of his latest epic film.

During an interview with People, Damon recalled a sentimental breakthrough with one of his girls. “She saw 'The Odyssey', and at the end of it, she actually turned to me, and she said, ‘Dad, I’m proud of you,’” he shared.

Matt Damon and family arrive for Amazon Studios' World Premiere Of
Matt Damon and his family attended the world premiere of 'AIR' in Los Angeles (Albert L Ortega/Getty Images)

He continued, “She’s never said anything like that because we joke around a lot, and so at that point, I was like, ‘I’m good. It was all worth it.’”

“Everybody’s so grown-up. Like, I got a real dad teary moment seeing them today.”

Watching his children navigate adulthood together has been a bittersweet milestone, with the actor noting that while the moment was “wonderful,” it was also undeniably “a lot” to take in.

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