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matt damon and family at air premiee© Getty Images

Matt Damon struggles with 'major adjustment' to his family dynamic

The Air star raises four children with his wife Luciana Barroso

Jenni McKnight
US Lifestyle Editor
September 21, 2024
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Matt Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso are dealing with a major shift in their family dynamic.

The Instigators star, 53, admitted that his household looks a lot different now that his daughter Isabella, 18, has moved out of the family home to attend college.

Matt confessed that the change is a "major adjustment" for him, Luciana, and their daughters Alexia, 26, Isabella, Gia, 16, and Stella, 13.

"We have a 26-year-old, so we've been through this once before but it's still a major adjustment for us and for her sisters," he told E! News.

"It's a different household with one less person there. So, it's a big adjustment," he added.

In July, Matt admitted that Isabella moving out to attend New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study was a "surreal" experience.

Luciana Barroso and Matt Damon attend Amazon Studios' World Premiere Of "AIR" at Regency Village Theatre on March 27, 2023 in Los Angeles, California© Getty Images
Matt called Isabella (second R) leaving home a 'major adjustment'

"I called my friends and asked them how they dealt with it," he told E! News during an interview with his The Instigators co-stars Casey Affleck and Hong Chau.

"It's a lot," he continued. "It's a surreal kind of time and the way it operates in your life, the older you get because it just feels like I was holding her yesterday." 

Warning Hong – who has two kids under the age of four – Matt added: "To our relatively new parents, it happens quickly." 

Alexia Damon, Isabella Damon, Gia Damon and Stella Damon attend the "Oppenheimer" premiere at Cinema Le Grand Rex on July 11, 2023 in Paris, France© Getty Images
Matt and Luciana share four daughters

Isabella graduated from high school in June and was watched on by her proud parents and her younger sister Gia. 

An Instagram post shared by her alma mater at the time read: "Congratulations, Bella! Bella, your unique blend of observational wit, thoughtful prose, and unwavering self-assurance has left an indelible mark on our community." 

Her high school added: "Your confident embrace of your identity serves as a beacon of inspiration for all of us." 

Matt Damon with his daughters Alexia Damon, Isabella Damon, Gia Damon and Stella Damon attend the "Oppenheimer" premiere at Cinema Le Grand Rex on July 11, 2023 in Paris, France© Getty Images
Matt can't believe how quickly his daughters have grown up

Matt and Isabella have a close relationship, and he has described her as "one of the funniest people" he's ever met. 

The actor also noted that Isabella tends to watch his films only if the reviews are less than favorable. "If the reviews come out and they're terrible, then she'll watch it," he shared with E! News in 2021. 

"If they come out and they're good, she's going to pass."

Guests, Stella Damon, Matt Damon, Gia Damon, Alexia Barroso and guest attend the "Oppenheimer" premiere at Cinema Le Grand Rex on July 11, 2023 in Paris, France© Getty Images
Matt has a great relationship with all his kids

He humorously added: "She's looking for ammunition all the time. She's like one of the funniest people I've ever met. She's really cool." 

Sharing an example of Isabella's reaction to one of his movies, Matt once said on CBS Sunday Mornings: "She just likes to give me [expletive]. 

Matt Damon and Luciana Barroso at the "Air" premiere© Getty Images
Matt and Luciana met in 2003

"My daughter said, 'Yeah, remember that movie you did, The Wall?' I said, 'It was called The Great Wall.' She goes, 'Dad there's nothing great about that movie.'"

Isabella's birth in 2006 marked a turning point in Matt’s life, shifting his priorities. "I really used to have no life outside movies," he told the UK's Sunday Express.

matt damon and wife luciana and children 2023© Getty Images
Matt calls Isabella 'one of the funniest people' he's ever met

"I'd work all day, go to the gym, and go to sleep," he added. "Now I have a place to be, so I come home after work."

Isabella won't be a stranger though as her family primarily lives in New York, splitting their time between a $16 million penthouse in Brooklyn Heights and an $8 million estate in Bedford Hills.

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