Matt Damon Describes Quarantine Life In Ireland As 'A Fairy Tale'

Source: Twitter

When the COVID-19 lockdowns began all over the world back in March, Matt Damon was in the middle of shooting a new movie in Ireland. He wasn’t able to get back to the United States with his wife, Luciana Barroso, and their three youngest daughters, so the family has been in quarantine in the village of Dalkey in Ireland.

During a recent interview with radio station Spin 1038, Damon gushed about life in the seaside town during the pandemic, and described it as being “like a fairy tale.” The Oscar winner said that it’s one of the most beautiful places he and his family have ever been, and they have had zero problems with the shelter-in-place orders.

Hollywood actor Matt Damon stuns local Irish radio station with surprise interview https://t.co/IrjbRyzYO7

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 14, 2020

The Contagion star explained that he was advised to stay within two kilometers of his home during the lockdown.

“I mean two kilometers of here there’s trees and forests and woods and oceans, I can’t think of any place else you’d rather want to be in a 2 kilometer radius of,” he said.

Damon said that he and his family arrived in Dalkey just a few days before the town shut down, so he hasn’t had the chance to enjoy the full Dalkey experience yet. However, he did make it to a local coffee shop and bookstore.

The actor said that he quickly became friends with the barista in the local coffee shop, and she told him something he found “really interesting” because one of his first jobs was working a counter. Damon said that the barista told him the shop is normally “really buzzing,” but now she gets the chance to really get to know her customers because each one will come in for about five minutes and chat.

Damon also revealed that his oldest daughter Alexia – who is in New York – did contract the coronavirus but has since fully recovered. He said that soon he will leave Ireland and return to Los Angeles with his wife and three youngest daughters, and Alexia will reunite with the family in California at the end of the month.

Matt Damon said that everyone in his family is okay, and when they all get back together they will try to figure out “what the heck we’re going to do.” He described the current situation as “an odd limbo that we’re all in.”