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Academy Awards

Kimmel-Damon ‘feud’ spills across the Oscars stage

Matt Damon (right, with Ben Affleck) was teased by Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel even when he was trying to present the Academy Award for original screenplay.Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images

You have to respect Matt Damon for even attending this year’s Oscars with Jimmy Kimmel hosting. Given the fake feud between the pair that’s gone on for more than 10 years, Kimmel was never going to pass up an opportunity to chide the actor, and he didn’t.

And from his opening monologue all the way up through Damon’s attempt to present an Oscar, it’s possible Kimmel fit in a record number of jabs at his supposed archnemesis.

It all started with the host’s opening monologue, in which he proclaimed that he was finally ready to “bury the hatchet” with Damon, summarizing their history by saying, “I’ve known Matt so long, when I first met Matt, I was the fat one.”

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Kimmel then seemed to praise Damon for giving up the lead role in “Manchester by the Sea,” for which Casey Affleck would win an Oscar later in the evening.

“He could have taken that lead actor part for himself, but he gave that role to Casey Affleck, his childhood friend,” Kimmel said, launching into a takedown. “He handed what turned out to be an Oscar-caliber role over to his friend, and made a Chinese ponytail movie instead.

“And that movie, ‘The Great Wall,’ went on to lose $80 million,” Kimmel added. “Smooth move, dumbass.”

Later in the night, the host feigned an unexpected, pre-filmed tribute to Damon’s family dramedy “We Bought a Zoo.” Sitting in a darkened theater, Kimmel reflected on his experiences watching the 2011 movie in a “completely empty” Burbank theater.

“It was just me and Matt and the animals,” mused Kimmel, adding of Damon’s acting ability, “He makes two words feels like . . . three words.

“He shows he’s able to hear words and . . . repeat them back. The thing about Matt is that you can see how hard he’s working — it’s so effortful for him.”

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Jimmy Kimmel stared at Matt Damon after Damon tripped him during the Academy Awards.Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

Closing out the bit, Kimmel added, his voice filled with fake awe, “He has almost no discernible talent, but it works.”

Immediately following that takedown, as Ben Affleck and Damon took the stage to present the award for original screenplay, Kimmel maintained his sense of mischief, instructing the announcer to identify Damon as “Guest,” then urging the orchestra to play him off as Damon tried to introduce the award.

“What is with the music?” Damon asked, incredulous. “Are you playing me off? Seriously? I’m just presenting!”


Isaac Feldberg can be reached at isaac.feldberg@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @i_feldberg.