Matt Damon: NYC Allows My Family to Live a ‘Normal Life’

Dave Allocca/Startraks

Matt Damon has traded in the Hollywood Hills for the streets of New York City — and says he prefers the metropolitan lifestyle the Big Apple offers his family.

“They’re all thriving. That’s why we’re so excited about it here,” he tells USA Today of daughters Alexia, 11, Isabella, 3 ½, and Gia Zavala, 18 months, and their adjustment to their new Manhattan hometown.

The paparazzi pursuit is considerably less so on the East Coast explains the actor, admitting that his family of five is able to live a lower-key lifestyle in the city.

“We walk to school every morning. We play in the park. It feels like a normal life,” he notes, adding that Isabella and Gia are oblivious to their father’s celebrity status.

And that, he says, is the reason the Damons won’t be moving any time soon. “We’re not leaving. Nobody bothers me,” he insists.

Isabella and Gia are Matt’s daughters with wife Luciana, while Alexia is her daughter from a previous relationship. His latest movie Green Zone is now in theaters.

Source: USA Today

– Anya Leon

Comments

is that why we NEVER see pictures of his daughters? I’m glad they are able to live a paparazzi free life, but I’m nosy and would like to see at lease one picture of them!

- leonor on March 12th, 2010

I’m not so nosy – the kids did not choose to be the children of celebrities and deserve to grow up as free from the paparazzi as normal. Matt’s wife Lucy looks stunning in this pic.

- Catca on March 12th, 2010

I think it’s all relative really. Matt Damon is famous but I think a bit boring to the paps, which is why we rarely see him or his kids. But there are other NY celebs who always get pictured. Hugh Jackman’s kids, Matilda Ledger, James Wilkie, Sasha Scriever, the list goes on.

- Haylo on March 12th, 2010

Haylo,

True about the other celebrities–but as a New Yorker who lives near celebrity children like Matilda Ledger I can tell you that most New Yorkers don’t bother celebrities and I don’t see many paps following them around. I run into celebrities and their children at the playgrounds I take my son, the coffee shop, etc and they seem to be happy because no one is paying them any mind or following them. There was one time when a guy was trying to take photos of Heidi and Seal’s kids but I asked him to stop because my child was playing in the sandbox with them and I didn’t think my son should be photographed. The guy actually left!

- LP on March 12th, 2010

Interesting comments about paps and the East Coast. He looked great at the Academy Awards the other night.

- Something About Baby on March 12th, 2010

LP, I agree.

I live in Brooklyn and have seen a handful of celebrities who have children out and about but rarely do I see the general public acknowledge them and/or a mob of paparazzi members following them. I’ve always thought it’s substantially tamer in NY.

Flash forward to a few weeks ago when I was in L.A. on business. I walked all of about three minutes on Robertson Blvd and was interrupted by photographers passing through twice. The two celebrities they were attempting to shoot had nowhere near the amount of success as Matt so I can only assume how invasive they are with more popular celebs.

- Liliana on March 12th, 2010

There was a photo of Matt with his 2 daughters on another website earlier this week.

Being photographed does have something to with wanting that to happen or not. Didn’t Hugh Jackman recently said he wanted to go one way but his daughter wanted to go another way because that’s where the paps would be?

- Anna on March 12th, 2010

LP: GOOD for you! I bet Seal & Heidi appreciated it!

- Mrs. R. on March 12th, 2010

Is Luciana pregnant? She had a bump at the Oscars!

- Ashandra on March 13th, 2010

http://www.americansuperstarmag.com/sites/default/files/images/matt-damon-luciana-barroso-030710.preview.jpg

Theres no way that she is not pregnant here!

- Ashandra on March 13th, 2010

Anna, actually, that was hugh jackman’s daughter, ava. She’s such a little ham! He said when he said he wanted to go a certain way, she told him no because the paparazzi were the other way!!!:)

- sara on March 13th, 2010

I agree it is simply because some celebs (and celeb children) are more interesting to the paps (because of the $ they get for them) and public than others. Witness when Katie Holmes was doing Broadway and all the pics we had of Suri during that time! Of course, the paps had an easy way to figure out when to come out for her (when she was coming and going from work) Also you have to remember that Matt says they “live” in New York but he is rarely there (he was filming a movie for Clint Eastwood in London, San Francisco and Hawaii since NOvember and is now in New Mexico to film another movie (True Grit)

- Lisa on March 15th, 2010

I have been looking for a pregnancy announcement from them since there was an obvious bump at the Oscars! They showed them in the audience and when she was sitting down it looked like a bump for someone who would be farther along.

- Ali on March 15th, 2010

Sara: Isn’t that what Anna said? I’m not trying to be rude, I swear. I’m just trying to understand. I thought Anna said Hugh wanted to go one way and his daughter wanted to go towards the paparazzi. Then you said the exact same thing. Am i reading it wrong?
Anyway, Luciana looks pregnant in Ashandra’s pic. Matt’s kids have some great names.

- Luna on March 15th, 2010

ah Ashandra she totally looked pregnant but she looked beautiful either way and matt is a total hottie

- maggie on March 15th, 2010

Ashandra- Actually, I’m thinking it’s just the style of the dress!

- CelebBabyLover on March 15th, 2010

I was born and raised in NY, and I grew up running into all sorts of celebs at festivals, stores, just wherever. The only people paying them any attention were tourist, if anyone at all. New Yorkers have things to do and places to be! If the celebs aren’t handing out free money or job opportunities, something beneficial to the new yorker-you can bet money we don’t care about you being on the same street, and keep it moving.

- m-dot on March 15th, 2010

Well, in the above photo of them at the “Green Zone” premire, so unless she somehow managed to develope a bump pratically overnight (since it says in the post that Green Zone is “in theaters now”, I’m assuming the premire was rather recent), I’m guessing Lucy isn’t pregnant, and it was indeed just the dress! That fabric hanging in front of it looks like it would make just about anyone look pregnant!

Anyway, as for them not getting photographed much in NYC compared to other celebs….I wonder if at least part of it is due to the fact that Lucy is not a celeb. With most of the other celeb kids we see in NYC, both parents are celebs. I’m guessing that perhaps, when Lucy goes out alone with the girls, the paps don’t bother them.

- CelebBabyLover on March 16th, 2010