Matt Damon lost his virginity at 16 to a girl who is still one of his closest friends.

The actor confesses to his teenage summer night of passion, which took place while his mother was on holiday in Mexico, in the new issue of Playboy magazine.

And he reveals the unnamed girl of his dreams back then is still a very important part of his life 17 years later.

Damon recalls, "She was one of my closest friends in the world - and still is, actually. A tremendous, incredible woman... This is a girl I'd wanted to have sex with since I was 12, and there she was lying on the couch while I was in my underwear on my bed."

The couple fumbled around and then never had sex again - preferring to stay friends instead.

Damon adds, "We went right back to being friends and have been friends ever since. We had this whole kind of respect and admiration for each other."

20/07/2004 09:15