What Made Watching the Ripley Miniseries Hard for Matt Damon?

Matt Damon isn’t ready to dive back into the 1960s Italian setting for a binge of Andrew Scott’s Ripley series just yet.

With the new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel now out, Damon is reflecting on his own portrayal of Tom Ripley in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley. In a recent chat with IndieWire, Damon expressed uncertainty about revisiting his role, noting, “I don’t know.” He shared that his connection to the original film is strongly tied to the late director Anthony Minghella.

Damon confessed, “I found it hard to watch the new series, even though it was beautifully made and featured great performances.” The Netflix adaptation, directed by Steven Zaillian (Oscar winner for Schindler's List and The Night Of), tells the story of Ripley as he shifts from a struggling scam artist in early-'60s New York to a life of luxury, deception, and murder.

In this new version, Andrew Scott stars as Tom Ripley, with Johnny Flynn as the troubled Dickie Greenleaf and Dakota Fanning as the skeptical Marge Sherwood.

Damon reflected on the new show, saying it was tough for him to engage with because his memories are so intertwined with the original film experience. The 1999 movie also featured Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Cate Blanchett. Minghella, known for Truly Madly Deeply and The English Patient, passed away in 2008.

Jude Law, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Dickie, also commented on the new series. He found it intriguing to see a different take on the story but admitted it stirred up many memories. “I haven’t watched the original film in years,” Law said. “It was surprising how many scenes were familiar and how they brought back memories, even down to specific details like the maid’s name, Ermelinda.”