Matt to Wed Ben's Former Assistant?

Matt Damon purportedly tells pals that he's marrying Odessa Whitmire, who used to work for Ben Affleck, the New York Post reports.

By Stephen M. Silverman

Originally posted Monday December 23, 2002 10:00 AM EST

Matt Damon and girlfriend Odessa Whitmire are getting married, the "Good Will Hunting" Oscar winner reputedly announced last Wednesday at a New York benefit hosted by George Clooney and film producer Jon Gordon.

The New York Post, in a Monday story by its columnist Victoria Gotti (daughter of the late "Teflon Don," convicted mobster John Gotti), said that at last week's gathering, Damon "broke the news to friends as Whitmire's 3-carat diamond sparkled."

Monday's Post story, however, contains neither a confirmation from the couple nor from their representatives.

The screen hunk, 32 -- who previously dated Minnie Driver and Winona Ryder -- reportedly met Whitmire, 27, in September 2001, when his pal Ben Affleck checked into the Promises rehabilitation facility to deal with what was described at the time as a drinking problem. Whitmire was Affleck's personal assistant.

The paper, reporting that Damon and Whitmire will wait to get hitched until sometime after Affleck and Jennifer Lopez say "I do," acknowledges that Damon has long denied rumors that he and Whitmire were altar-bound.