The surprising couple replacing Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky in Matt Damon's inner circle - and why fans suspect they have drifted apart

The friendship between Hollywood titans Matt Damon and Chris Hemsworthis looking uncertain after a World Cup sighting hinted at shifting allegiances.

After a decade of family holidays to Byron Bay and even matching tattoos, fans have noticed that Matt and Chris' bromance has gone unusually quiet in recent months.

After striking up a friendship through the Marvel films and beyond, the actors regularly holidayed and partied together, often joined by their wives, Luciana Barroso and Elsa Pataky, and their children.

But in recent months, the Hemsworths have been conspicuously absent from some of Matt and Luciana's biggest social milestones. The timing has coincided with the arrival of a new Australian connection in the Damons' social circle.

Former Home and Away actress Pia Whitesell and her Hollywood agent husband, Patrick Whitesell, have increasingly been seen in the company of the Damons, joining the couple at high-profile events and glamorous gatherings around the world.

The shift in dynamics was particularly evident at Melbourne radio star Lauren Phillips' glittering birthday celebration in New York earlier this year.

The January soirée, hosted at a chic Manhattan restaurant, drew some of entertainment's biggest names, including the Damons and the Whitesells.

Among the guests was Lauren's fiancé, Australian aviation entrepreneur Paul O'Brien, who has flown the Damons on his private jets for years.

The evening was a glamorous mix of drinks, dancing and laughter, with Matt arriving clutching a bunch of gold balloons to keep the party in full swing.

But notably absent were Chris and Elsa.

The duo were also missing from the London premiere of Matt's latest blockbuster The Odyssey earlier this month. Pia, Patrick, Lauren and Paul were all in attendance. 

Just days after the premiere, the group jetted off to Paris for a celebratory getaway - again, without Chris and Elsa.

Lauren's blitz of group photos during the trip made their absence even more obvious.

Eyebrows were raised again when Matt, Luciana, Pia, Patrick, Lauren and Paul were spotted together at the World Cup final, with the Hemsworths missing once more.

Adding to the intrigue, the group was joined at the match by Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody - Elsa's ex-partner.

Lauren, who is known to talk up her A-list connections on air, even video-called the Nova FM studio from the Spain v Argentina game to joke about her access to Hollywood's inner circle.

Brody's appearance alongside the Damons was especially notable given his past with Elsa. He began dating the Spanish actress in 2006 and they soon became a Hollywood 'It' couple.

In a grand romantic gesture, Brody bought a 19th-century estate in upstate New York for Elsa's 31st birthday, transforming it into a private retreat. The pair even starred together in a lavish magazine spread showcasing their dream home, with rumours swirling about an impending marriage.

But the fairytale didn't last. They split up in 2009, and Elsa went on to meet Chris the following year, marrying the Australian actor in late 2010. 

Interestingly, Elsa revealed on Monday that she, too, had planned to attend the World Cup final - just not in the same VIP box as Damon, Lauren, Pia and Patrick. 

She shared on Instagram that she'd planned to attend the match with her children and cousin after flying in from Costa Rica - but a delayed flight diversion meant she missed the stadium and ended up watching Spain v Argentina from the plane.

Lauren notably liked Elsa's post, which suggests no bad blood between them.

The last public sighting of Chris and Matt together was in February, when the two were pictured heading out to dinner in New York, joined by Luciana.

Elsa was not present for the outing. 

For years, the friendship between the two couples seemed unshakeable. Chris and Matt first became close more than a decade ago, with the Thor star describing the Oscar winner as someone he admired professionally and personally. 

Speaking to GQ in 2014, Chris said: 'We became friends around the time I started to work, and I've really benefited from watching how he handles himself.'

'Matt's just a normal guy who has the movie-star thing figured out.' 

Their friendship hit new heights in March 2024 when Matt and Chris got matching tattoos from celebrity artist Corina Weikl at a private Los Angeles residence.

Their families also holidayed together regularly, visiting Monaco, Costa Rica, Australia, Montana and Spain.

Elsa gushed about their bond in 2019, telling People that the couples became close because they shared similar lifestyles.

'Chris has always been a big fan of Matt, me too, and then when I met his wife I became an even bigger fan of her,' she said.

'They're such amazing people. We have three kids, they have four, so we always ended up making the same plans - everything we do is with our kids.'

Elsa also loved that Luciana was Argentinian, as it meant they could speak Spanish together.

The friendship was so strong that Elsa and Luciana even got matching pinky tattoos during a family Christmas holiday in Australia in 2017.