Matt Damon okay with oversaturating Hollywood with his and Ben Affleck’s films after a famous breakup made him cry

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been co-workers and collaborators for almost 30 years, and thanks to Peter Jackson’s documentary Get Back based on The Beatles, that’s not about to change any time soon.

Ben Affleck has had his fair share of relationship hang-ups — but his friendship with Damon has never been in doubt. It remains one of the most stable friendships in the entertainment industry. Even Kanye West and Jay-Z eventually had an ugly falling out.

And yet, without explanation, Affleck and Damon stopped working together for nearly a decade. The two eventually reunited and, with the upcoming Netflix release The Rip, that will make three movies in four years starring the two friends.

Damon sat down with GQ for an interview where he finally revealed why they decided to get back to working together. He explained that the end of the documentary had a postscript reminding viewers that The Beatles never worked together again — and it brought him to tears. That was when he decided to reunite with the former Batman, beginning with The Last Duel.

Damon told the publication, “Who cares if we oversaturate the marketplace with movies we’re both in? We’re crazy if we don’t take advantage of the fact that we are both still here and able to do this.” Affleck also took some time to praise his friend, saying, “Every time I act with Matt is a humbling experience because I learn to appreciate further just how good an actor he is.”

Affleck went on to explain that Damon’s naturalistic style of acting is what makes him rise above his peers. It’s an underrated skill, especially in movies with a sci-fi or fantasy bend — perhaps that’s why Christopher Nolan chose him as the leading man for the upcoming The Odyssey.

Damon and Affleck had their breakout with Good Will Hunting, even winning an Oscar for their writing. That probably helped cement their eternal link, but from a glance at their filmographies, it seems the real reason they stopped working together wasn’t just fear of flooding the market. Damon focused on being a movie star — most famously in the Bourne franchise — while Affleck divided his time between acting and directing prestige films. Perhaps that’s why only Affleck ended up winning another Oscar since their first one.

Actor collaborations are nothing new in Hollywood. Adam Sandler is well known for appearing alongside Kevin James. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson also check back in with each other every few years. In Hollywood’s golden age, John Wayne and Ward Bond were lifelong friends who appeared in countless films together.

Nobody has any complaints about Affleck and Damon keeping their run of collaborations going. One could even argue they’re yet to make a bad movie together. And Air proved that Affleck can direct and act in their collaborations, allowing them to keep pursuing their separate passions.

The Rip is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on Jan. 16. The movie will also co-star Steven Yeun and Teyana Taylor. It follows a group of Miami cops who discover unclaimed millions in cash during a bust, and the money slowly drags them into escalating wrangles.