Matt Damon is the “it” guy in Hollywood right aboutnow.

His star would be bright enough with just major roles in The Rainmaker and the upcoming Saving Private Ryan, andgetting his Good Will Hunting screenplay made into a successfulmovie.

But to get two Oscar nominations for Hunting (actor andscreenplay) plops him smack in the middle of man-of-the-momentland.

And no one even knew his name six months ago.

“Try three months,” Damon says.

Not only is he the guy that everyone in Hollywood is clamoringto take a meeting with, but the 27-year-old is also one of America’smost wanted romantically.

“That part is really weird,” Damon says with an embarrassedlaugh. “I live kind of a very monkish life.”

At a post-Golden Globes party last month, Damon was reportedlysurrounded by several well-known actresses slipping him theirphone numbers. He laughs at the reports.

“I can’t believe it! I got romantically linked to Kate Winslet!What she really did was say, ‘If you’re ever in London, give mea call.’ They made it sound like it was possibly a tryst. . .. I talked to her after that article came out, and I told herwe got linked. We were both laughing. She thought it was reallycool.”

What Damon finds coolest of all, though, is keeping company withthe other best actor nominees: his idol, Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Peter Fonda.

Entering their ranks leaves the normally articulate Damon fumblingfor words. “I don’t know how to sound. I’m afraid this willsound disingenuous, but it really is a serious moment in my life.”

Damon and lifelong friend Ben Affleck began writing Good Will Hunting – which nabbed a total of nine Oscar nominations,including best picture – when Damon was 22 and Affleck was 20.

“The writing nomination is the most amazing kind of accomplishment,”Damon says. “It took five years out of my life and Ben’s.We were told ‘No’ by so many people in so many rooms. Every studiohad a chance. We were told, ‘You can’t do this,’ ‘The script isn’tgood enough,’ over and over.”

Their guardian angel was director Kevin Smith (Clerks,Mall Rats), who cast Affleck in Chasing Amy. He read thescript, liked it and persuaded Miramax chief Harvey Weinsteinto look at it.

Weinstein decided to make the film but was urged to cast it withmore well-known names.

“We stuck with Ben and Matt when nobody wanted them,”Weinstein says. “Other studios wouldn’t make the movie withthem. Even once I had agreed to make the movie, everyone keptsaying, ‘Look, I can get you big stars.’ Some big-name directorsturned it down because we went with those actors.”

“It was totally insane to put two completely unknown guysin these main roles,” Damon says. “Harvey really tooka chance on us.”

It helped that Robin Williams, nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar, signed on early. Williams read the script and washooked.

“I just knew that it was a well-written piece,” Williamssays. “When you have that, it’s a running start.”

The movie has proved to be a running start for Damon’s career.He has two movies coming out this summer: Saving Private Ryanwith Tom Hanks and Rounders with John Malkovich and Ed Norton.

Despite the honors, Damon does not take himself too seriously.”I don’t feel any different,” he says during a breakon the Rounders set. “I’m standing in a parking lotin Atlantic City. I still work 15 hours a day.”

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY