Hey all. I just wrapped filming HEREAFTER with Matt Damon, directed by Clint Eastwood. I have run out of adjectives to explain how cool this all was. Six months ago, I was put on tape in a small room at Warner Brothers. It was a saturday and it was just me and the casting woman and her assistant. I went in to audition for the roll of, “Billy”, Matt Damon’s brother. 

I did my reading and left the room and the lot and left the entire experience behind me. I have found that thinking about auditions after the fact will make you crazy. I never understood when actors will call their agents and say, “Did you hear anything? Did they like me?” I’m pretty sure if the agent heard from the movie, you would be the FIRST person he would call. It’s not like agents are sitting around Hollywood saying, “Oh! I totally forgot. You got that movie. Sorry.”

The first time I met Clint Eastwood was on the set. He is more handsome in person and has a smile on his face at all times. He was very warm and relaxed. He doesn’t really give you any direction. He just says, “Whenever you’re ready.” and the scene begins. Perfect. He lets actors act. His crew has been his crew for fifteen years. Everyone knows each other and not a second of the day is waisted. I have never seen a more efficient operation in my entire life. Lights were set up and taken down in the same time it takes most other movies to hose down a street with water. Matt Damon gave me advice my first day, “Enjoy all of this because it is going to be over so fast you won’t even know what happened.” And here I am. Sitting at my computer after I have finished filming. I wonder what the hell just happened. I was supposed to work eight days and I only worked 4. The movie is way ahead of schedule. Everyone was so nice. No one even raised their voice. I am a very lucky guy to have had this experience. Whenever someone is kind, I think we should all share it.

Thank you to Clint (I call him Clint now cuz i’m such a big shot). Thank you to Matt Damon for being one of the guys. He really could have grown up on Valley View Rd. in Verona with me. Thank you Warner Brothers. Mostly thank you to my wife who the night before filming began told me, “You’re playing Bob Sugar if he never made it.” That cemented Billy for me. Thank you baby.

jj