Angelina Jolie @ Toronto Toy Store

Credit: axio99 at JJB

From The Globe and Mail

Damon preps for new round of advocacy in quest to bolster Africa

GAYLE MACDONALD

September 10, 2007

Activist actor Matt Damon knows how to pack a lot into a day. And his nights.

After a three-day whirlwind of activity during the Toronto Film Festival - where he hosted last night’s OneXOne charity event, introduced a new documentary Running the Sahara and shared countless dinners and drinks with pals in town such as Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Don Cheadle - the Bourne Ultimatum star was scheduled to hop on a plane this morning to Africa.

Mr. Damon’s been there before on fact-finding missions with DATA, Bono’s Washington-based African advocacy foundation. This time, he’s bringing along his best chum, Ben Affleck, who’s been in Toronto with wife Jennifer Garner.

“It’s Ben’s first time,” explained Mr. Damon who, with his childhood friend, won the best screenplay Oscar for 1997’s Good Will Hunting, which they co-wrote.
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“We’ve talked a lot about my trip. I was there last year in April when [Mr. Damon's wife] Lucy was seven months pregnant. Ben wants a crash course too.”

Chat to Mr. Damon for a few moments and it’s clear his passion - besides acting and his family - is to use his celebrity to do what he can to eradicate poverty.

A year ago, he journeyed to Johannesburg, Lusaka and Zambia, and then to outlying rural areas. This time, he and Mr. Affleck will spend a week in Tanzania.

The reason that destination was chosen? To get information that he hopes to use as political ammunition back home. With Bono, Mr. Damon is part of a high-energy, non-partisan campaign called One Vote ‘08, which is trying to get all the U.S. presidential candidates to sign a pledge to take on the problem of extreme global poverty in an aggressive way.

“The knock on aid to Africa a lot of the time is that there’s not transparency and there’s a lot of corruption. So this is a country where some really positive things are happening. We’ll see a lot of real problems, but also a lot of the very practical solutions that are working.”

Two years ago, Mr. Damon married his Argentine-born wife, Luciana Barroso. He is now father to year-old daughter Isabella, as well as nine-year-old stepdaughter Alexia. Mr. Damon plans to take the girls Africa “when they’re old enough.”

“Cheadle told me when he did Hotel Rwanda that he took his girls to Soweto one day when they were shooting. Look, it helps. Because, hey, our kids have a good life, you know?”

Mr. Damon conceded the contrast between the extreme poverty he sees in Africa and the excessive consumption in America is jarring. He said he deals with the incongruity by “completely compartmentalizing” the two extremes.

“You can’t start thinking in terms of what they don’t have and we have because it becomes too outrageous.

“But my wife and I, we think about it. And we talk about it. Neither my wife nor I grew up with money, so I think our relationship to money is pretty healthy in general. We’re not big spenders, anyway. And I think that just has to do with our habits and our values, and appreciating a buck. We talk a lot about our kids, and how to best shape their values.”

Mr. Damon also said he’s proud of many of his famous acting pals for their activist/advocacy work in Africa. “I admire what Don [Cheadle] is doing. And George [Clooney] - well, he went to Darfur when there was a coup attempt in Chad,” Mr. Damon added, shaking his head.

“In fact, I think janjaweed [government-backed militias] said they were going to shoot his plane out of the sky. He had a rough one. And Brad [Pitt] and Angelina [Jolie], they’re incredible. They do such a good job. Brad always says, ‘These photographers are going to follow me anyway, so I might as well take them somewhere where they can do some good.’ “

Suddenly, the cordial Boston native realizes he’s slighted the photographer in the room. And he immediately apologizes. “No. No, not your kind. There’s a very different kind out there. A different species altogether.”
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Matt Damon is great!!

brad and ange look a bit desperate to show how much they love each other. don’t worry, we know how much you love each other and how much you mean to each other - but we don’t mind watching some brangelina porno once in a while :)

Matt Damon is talking about his wife in his interviews now, another one to scratch from your list.

I agree that this site is full of freaks BUT since you’re here A LOT, you are a freak by association too.

Have a nice day.

Jennifer : 09/10/2007 at 12:18 pm
Not to be mean or anything but my honest feeling about Brangelina is that I wish they’d crawl back under their rock.

WELL, WHY DON’T YOU CRAWL BACK UNDER YOUR ROCK?…And don’t even show your turtle head out here!

yeah crawl under a rock you freak Jennifer, doesnt man need to borrow your razor.Brad isnt there with his child bride Im surpise he let her out of his site.I hope she bought him a razor and shampoo.

171 to # 166 What You say??
_________________________

First of all the idea was just a suggestion
Even if it wasn’t possible then maybe it is now ( you know times change)
And if it’s not possible true fans will always blog this site ( You get everything BAMPZS here)
BTW We are not the same person

What’s up your Sh*thole?

Not to be mean or anything but my honest feeling about Brangelina is that I wish they’d crawl back under their rock.

Not to be mean or anything but my honest feeling about Brangelina is that I wish they’d crawl back under their rock.

Not to be mean or anything but my honest feeling about Brangelina is that I wish they’d crawl back under their rock.

lola : 09/10/2007 at 12:16 pm
She can mirror Jen Aniston but she will never be Jen Aniston. And Brad, you have kids but you will never get it like before - so just be thankful with what you have, and spare us the ‘EXPLANATIONS.’

HOW CAN ANGIE MIRROR JEN WHEN ANGIE IS WAY MORE BEAUTIFUL than Jen? And Brad is not explaining…he’s answering questions and accusations being thrown at him SO ALL OF YOUR PEEPS who can’t grasp the truth (unlike Jen)will finally be enlightened to the fact that both Brad and Jen have decided their marriage is over long before the divorce was filed.

I cant wait til Angie open her eyes and gets done with the grunge looking Brad with his self bought award.

Angie is so beautiful. I think she is pregnant. I hope baby #5 is on the way.

Lainey, who was in Toronto, said that Angelina’s legs looked third-world skinny.

And are you guys are still insisting that she’s fine and doesn’t need to gain weight?

I effin LOVE IT!!! The trolls just hate the fact that their wishes are not coming true and they are proved wrong day after day.Their presence here for the last 2 1/2 years say it all. That is why they are so desperate and obsessed. They will find a fault in every little tiny thing!! LMAO!!!

They are so angry!!! Well keep some room because there is more to come.LOL!!

And fans,don’t even bother. Just enjoy them going crazy!!! LOL!!