Matt Damon's Daughter Isabella Is His Harshest Critic: 'Looking For Ammunition All The Time'

In 1997, Matt Damon played the genius Will Hunting in the aptly titled "Good Will Hunting," which he also co-wrote with his best pal Ben Affleck. Along with being a once-in-a-generation mind, Damon's character also had a talent for putting people down, most famously with the line "How do you like them apples?" Damon and Affleck drew from their own upbringing in Boston to shape the characters, suggesting that the sharp wits of their characters came directly from them. Apparently, the ability to cut someone down to size with a simple sentence is something Damon has passed on to at least one of his children. According to the star, the second of Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon's four daughters, Isabella, is always ready to cut into her dad's ego with a well-timed comedic insult.

Damon has admitted that Isabella isn't interested in any of his movies unless they get bad reviews. Damon told E! News, "If the reviews come out and they're terrible, then she'll watch it. If they come out and they're good, she's going to pass ... She's looking for ammunition all the time." Damon even opened up to his "Odyssey" co-star Zendaya during a game on MTV UK. Damon revealed one truly cutting remark Isabella made at his expense. He went on to explain, "I made a movie called 'The Great Wall' ... She keeps talking about this movie 'The Wall,' and I'm like, 'Isabella, it's called 'The Great Wall,' and she's like, 'Dad, there's nothing great about that movie.' So she is a very tough critic."

Even before she could speak, Isabella was getting the better of her famous dad. As Damon recounted (per People), Isabella was just a baby when he was making "The Bourne Ultimatum," and, as is common with newborns, her sleep schedule wasn't matching his. Director Paul Greengrass commented on Damon looking worn out during filming. According to Damon, "I told him, 'I'm sorry. I'm awake all night with the baby,' to which he said, 'No, it's really good. She came along just at the right time — she's really helping your performance." And while some people may feel hurt when their children make fun of them, Damon loves it. When he appeared on WTF with Marc Maron, Damon bragged about Isabella's sense of humor, saying "She's one of the funniest people I know" before going on to explain, "She just likes giving me s—. She's playfully hard on me." 

Even Isabella's high school was impressed with her biting commentary. In an Instagram post when she graduated in 2024, Damon honored her by saying, "Bella, your unique blend of observational wit, thoughtful prose, and unwavering self-assurance has left an indelible mark on our community." While she may be at college now, Isabella and her sisters keep their dad laughing. Damon and his daughters are avid fans of the reality show "Temptation Island." And it is Isabella's willingness to critique her dad's work that made her reaction to "The Odyssey" mean so much to him, explaining to Zendaya during the MTV UK recording, "She's the one of my daughters who's seen it so far. She said, 'Dad, I'm proud of you.'"