Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel slams Matt Damon's 'We Bought a Zoo'

The feud between Damon and Kimmel has been a running gag for years.

ByABC News
February 26, 2017, 11:42 PM

— -- The longtime feud between Matt Damon and Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel didn't stop at tonight's ceremony.

Kimmel slammed Damon's 2011 movie "We Bought a Zoo" in a video sketch before Damon came onstage with Ben Affleck to present the award for best original screenplay. Affleck was introduced as "two-time Academy Award winner," while Damon was introduced as ... "guest."

Then, the "wrap up" music grew mysteriously louder during Damon's lines.

"You got to be kidding me! Come on, what is with the music? Am I being played off? Seriously?" Damon said. "I'm just presenting!"

"Wrap it up!" Kimmel said from the orchestra. "We want to go home!"

The feud between the actor and Kimmel has been a running gag for years; most recently Damon tried to crash the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" set after the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl.

In Kimmel's opening monologue, he said, "I would like to bury the hatchet with someone I've had issues with -- Matt Damon. ... I've known Matt for a long time now. I've known Matt so long, when I first met Matt, I was the fat one."

He added: "He's a selfish person -- those of you who have worked with him know this. But Matt did something very unselfish and I want to commend him for it. Matt, as you probably know, could have starred in 'Manchester by the Sea.' ... But he didn't. He gave that role to Casey Affleck, his childhood friend. He handed what turned out to be an Oscar-caliber role over to his friend and made a Chinese ponytail movie instead. And that movie, 'The Great Wall,' went on to lose $80 million."

Earlier tonight on the red carpet, Damon predicted he'd be a target of Kimmel's jokes during the show.

"He's talentless himself, but unfortunately, he's got an incredible group of writers who work for him," Damon told ABC's Michael Strahan. "So, I'm afraid, I think I'm in for it tonight. It's going to be rough."

Kimmel wasted no time responding, tweeting, "Dead man walking the red carpet" as he watched Damon's interview from backstage:

Damon produced the Oscar-nominated film "Manchester by the Sea" and called the film the "best role I'd ever read."

Damon was going to star in the film but because of scheduling conflicts, he offered the part to his longtime friend Casey Affleck, who is now nominated for best actor.

PHOTO: Casey Affleck arrives at the Oscars, Feb. 26, 2017, in Hollywood, Calif.
Casey Affleck arrives at the Oscars, Feb. 26, 2017, in Hollywood, Calif.

Damon called Affleck "the only person" for whom he would give up the part.

"I'm so proud. And I just love him so much," Damon said. "I've known him since he was 5 years old ... he's just one of the best people I've met in my life.

"I knew Casey would just crush the part and I'm so thrilled with what he did with the role," Damon added.

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