Entertainment · Film · 1 hr ago
Matt Damon says he overthought the role he turned down in ‘Ted’
Matt Damon says he talked himself out of starring in Ted, the 2012 comedy about a man and his foul-mouthed teddy bear.
He told GQ he loved the script and even read parts aloud to friends at dinner.
Damon began to wonder whether the bear was the best part, and overthinking led him to turn down John Bennett.
The role went to Mark Wahlberg, who starred alongside Seth MacFarlane’s voice as Ted.
The film was shot in Damon’s hometown of Boston, and he says taking the role could have meant six months at home with his father, who has since died.
Damon says Wahlberg was the right actor and that he would not have made the film better.
The Ted franchise continued with a sequel and a two-season prequel series, and Seth MacFarlane has said he might be interested in a third film, though no plans were confirmed.
Matt Damon says he turned down the role of John Bennett in the 2012 comedy Ted.
He said he laughed hard while reading the script but overthought the part and talked himself out of it.
Mark Wahlberg ultimately played John alongside Seth MacFarlane’s talking teddy bear.
Damon said filming in his hometown of Boston would have let him spend more time with his father, who has since died.
He praised Wahlberg’s performance and said he would not have made the film any better.
- Who
- Matt Damon says he passed on the role; Mark Wahlberg played it.
- What
- Damon turned down the lead role of John Bennett in Ted.
- When
- The film was released in 2012. Damon discussed his decision in a new GQ interview published in November 2026.
- Where
- The film was shot in Boston, Damon’s hometown.
- Why
- Damon said he overthought the script and wondered whether the teddy bear was the best part.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ted was released, with Mark Wahlberg playing John Bennett.
Damon discussed turning down the role in a new GQ interview.
- Film
- Ted
- Release year
- 2012
- Role Damon declined
- John Bennett
- Role went to
- Mark Wahlberg
- Filming location
- Boston
- Related performer
- Seth MacFarlane voiced Ted
4 sources
What people are saying
I don’t want to live with the regret, but I can tell you that I passed on Ted, and I’ve never had this experience where I laughed so hard reading a script
So I overthought it and I talked myself out of it.
I wouldn’t have made it any better.