Gilliam admits casting 'The Bourne Identity' star in the low-budget drama because he was ready and willing to do whatever was required of him, reported Contactmusic.
"I called Matt and said, 'I've got a small part for you, probably four or five days, I'll send you the script.' He said, 'Don't bother, I'm in,'" Gilliam said.
And Damon was not the only star who signed on to work with Gilliam without a script read or an agreed salary. Tilda Swinton and 'Skyfall' actor Ben Whishaw also jumped at the chance to team up with him.
'The Zero Theorem' centres on a reclusive computer hacker, played by Christoph Waltz, who attempts to discover the reason for human existence.