Why Matt Damon and Ben Affleck May Owe Donald Trump a Thank-You

Photo by Andrew Lipovsky / NBC

Matt Damon got nostalgic during his appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday night.

The Jason Bourne star talked with the late-night host at length about his early days growing up in Cambridge. He also told Fallon about his strange connection to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Damon revealed that when he and Ben Affleck were teenagers, they would constantly travel from Boston to New York for auditions, which is how the high-profile BFFs bonded. Surprisingly, the airline that they frequently flew on was owned by a person who would later become a controversial candidate for president.

“We used to fly Trump Air to get to New York,” Damon said. “When he bought Eastern Airlines, he was like, ‘It’s Trump Air.’ And he redid the interior of the planes.”

Fallon jokingly said that Damon owed Trump a thank-you for his career, but the actor didn’t think the businessman turned politician deserved that much credit.

“Well, I could also thank Greyhound because we also took the bus sometimes too,” Damon quipped.

The credit should probably go to the many teachers who helped the star, including his mother, a professor in early childhood education, who had an immense impact on Damon.

“That’s why we have such an affinity for teachers in my family,” he said. “I had great teachers my whole life.”

Check out more from Damon’s chat with Fallon below.