"I was never that much a focus of interest that I became a 'thing' at an earlier point in my career. I'm aware of having become a 'thing' now, which doesn't give me a lot of pleasure"

In this quote, Matt Damon is assessing his career and how he has never been the center of attention or a "thing" in the past. He acknowledges that now, he has actually ended up being a "thing" and it does not bring him much happiness. This could be analyzed as Damon feeling uneasy with the level of popularity and attention he has received over the last few years. He might feel that he has actually lost some of his personal privacy and individuality as he has actually ended up being more of a public figure. Overall, the quote suggests that Damon is not entirely comfy with the level of popularity he has accomplished.