Matt Damon Denies He's Engaged to Wed

By Stephen M. Silverman

Tuesday December 24, 2002 12:00 PM EST

Don't start sending over a silver tea set just yet. Matt Damon and his current steady, Odessa Whitmire, are only dating -- despite published reports that they are to be wed.

"The rumor that he's getting engaged has been fabricated over the past couple of weeks, but it's not true," said the actor's publicist Jennifer Allen. "He is dating Ms. Whitmire, but he is not engaged."

On Monday, New York Post columnist Victoria Gotti said that at a Manhattan benefit last Wednesday hosted by George Clooney and film producer Jon Gordon, the "Good Will Hunting" Oscar winner "broke the news to friends as Whitmire's three-carat diamond sparkled."

Damon's hometown paper, the Boston Herald, took an especially keen interest in the story, reporting, "Damon has been dating Odessa -- who used to be (Ben Affleck)'s personal assistant -- a lot longer than Ben's been dating J.Lo. Which, of course, sparked the engagement rumors. And (Damon) said he feels bad denying them."

The Herald also tracked down Damon's father, who denied the Post story.

"No, he's not engaged," said Kent Damon.

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