A barely recognisable Matt Damon was caught on camera quietly watching a little girl meet Goofy at Disneyland in Anaheim this week, with the Hollywood star standing just a few feet away while the family remained blissfully unaware.
The moment, filmed at Goofy's Kitchen inside the Disneyland Hotel, only came to light after the child's mother posted the footage online.
The clip was shared on Instagram on Friday by content creator Loryn Powell, who had been trying to capture her 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter's first meeting with a Disney character. T
he video shows the toddler meeting Goofy in his chef outfit, flanked by Powell's husband, while other diners mill around in the background.
In the short video, Powell's husband crouches beside their daughter as Goofy approaches in full costume. The little girl waves excitedly, then throws her arms around the character in an enthusiastic hug.
Just behind them, almost blending into the crowd, Damon appears with his arms folded, wearing a grey shirt, white trousers and a black cap. He smiles as he watches the child interact with Goofy.
Powell apparently had no idea an A-lister was in the frame when the video was filmed. The actor's presence only became part of the story after the footage was shared online and viewers spotted him in the background.
She captioned the clip with a wry joke, 'POV you're watching your husband and daughter meet Goofy for the first time but don't realize Matt Damon is also watching your husband and daughter meet Goofy for the first time.'
In a second line, she added, 'When your daughter is more starstruck by Goofy than Matt Damon.' For the toddler, however, all attention remained firmly on the Disney character rather than the Oscar-winning actor standing nearby.
Powell later described the family's visit as 'magical', making clear that the real attraction was her daughter's first Disneyland experience rather than the unexpected celebrity appearance in their video.
'As you can tell we love dressing up for a good theme so taking our 2.5 year old daughter to Disneyland for her first time was magical,' she told The California Post. 'Even if Matt Damon hadn't been there,' she added.
The family had gone all-in on the experience, dressing up for the character meal at Goofy's Kitchen, Disneyland Hotel's character dining restaurant where guests can meet Goofy and other Disney favourites.
The video focuses on the child, her costume and excitement as Goofy walks towards her. Damon remains largely in the background until viewers notice him.
Once the clip hit Instagram, though, viewers were quick to spot the actor. Some questioned whether the man in the cap was really Damon.
Others pointed to a small but telling detail. The logo on his hat appeared to match Artists Equity, the production company Damon co-founded with his long-time friend Ben Affleck.
