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Matt Damon is "proud" to have received a home-grown award in New York.
The Oscar-winning star was happy to profess his love for the Big Apple when he was honoured with a Made In NY gong, acknowledging his "significant contributions" to the city's entertainment industries, said the Hollywood Reporter.
"I'm just so proud to live here," he said as he accepted the award from Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion.
Boston-born Matt - who was last seen in The Adjustment Bureau - revealed he and Ben Affleck, who grew up in Boston, had ambitions to head to the streets of the US city when they were younger.
"When we were kids, we would come here to audition. So we would, on our own dime, with money we had made in Boston making local commercials, either fly here or take the bus or train.
"It's cool that 25 years later to think back. Our dream was... to actually some day get a movie some day that shot in New York," he added.
John Leguizamo also picked up an award, and late filmmaker Sidney Lumet received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement award, which was received by his daughter Jenny.
"I haven't spoken about dad in public yet. I miss him," she told the crowd.
