They're the Ben and Matt of the indie film crowd, the odd couple who took a friendship and turned it into a career. Since meeting in Indianna on the set of high-school football drama Rudy back in '93, they've become Hollywood A-listers.

Thirty-one-year-old Vince Vaughn has starred in Spielberg's 'Lost World: Jurassic Park' and 'The Cell'; with Jennifer Lopez, while Jon Favreau, 35, guest-starred on TV hits 'Friends' and 'The Sopranos', as well as movies with Cameron Diaz ('Very Bad Things'), Vanessa Redgrave and Robert Duvall ('Deep Impact').

The duo may have still been hustling for bit parts, though, had they not turned their life as singletons in LA into the surprise hit of '96, Swingers. The indie classic was written by Jon, and depicted the pair of them as best friends and struggling actors searching for a break and a 'honey' in Hollywood. Not much of stretch there then.

"Well let's just say it was an exaggeration," says a matured Favreau from his Hollywood home, bouncing his 5-month-old baby boy Max on his knee. "I think Vince is close to his Swingers character, but it's really not that pronounced. He's much smarter than that character, but the fact of the matter is he's a great deal more boring than him too."

Across town on the set of his new movie 'Old School', Vaughn laughs it off. "Yeah, well it was exaggerated. I might of said 'you're money' once a night in real life, and in the movie I'd say it four times in a sentence. But the dynamic between me and Jon was always there."

Favreau agrees: "I always liked him, I always thought he was funny - his sense of humour and his quickness is really what sets him apart. Plus I think he's got a really good moral code ' I like that."

Vaughn picks up the love-fest: "I liked that he was down to earth but at the same time wickedly bright and funny and with an interesting perspective on things. He's very connected to himself and what's going on with him, but not self-indulged."

Does he have any bad qualities?

"Fav would say the most humiliating things," he adds after a long pause. "His humour would be to make people feel awkward but in a funny way. There were times I'd get my feelings hurt by him, but in a sick way I loved it and appreciated it and thought it quite brilliant."

All close friendships can ride an emotional rollercoaster and Jon and Vince's has been no exception, with their post-Swingers time a particularly frosty one.

"A little bit of success really puts strain on a friendship," admits Favreau. "Vince became a very big movie star, I became a successful writer and we both had a lot of opportunities independently."

Vaughn agrees: "When the movie came out I felt like I was in a suburban rock band that had suddenly become successful. The magazines are saying it's because he wrote the songs, or he's a great guitar player, and everyone starts to look around and wonder what their credit is. I deserve more, you deserve more; in a way the success hurts the friendship."

Time and distance was a healer, the two retreating to their corners long enough to heal the rift. Now they've returned fighting fit, collaborating once again on 'Made', a Favreau-penned story of two aspiring boxers caught in a money laundering scheme with a low-rent organized crime group. And Jon for one is glad to be working with his old friend again.

"We both know that our best work is done with each other. It's a very taxing experience for both of us; the arguments that we have are far deeper and more animated than someone you're just collaborating with. But the upside is we end up with stuff we're extremely proud of."

Have you both changed?

"Vince has become more mature. I think he has a deeper understanding of show business and he's become more confident as a film maker and performer and he's more patient about things."

"Everyone grows up and gets older," Vaughn agrees. "Jon has a kid and he's married, so focus and priorities are different to how they were five years ago. I think it's just wisdom and maturity."

How did he take his old singles buddy getting wed?

"I was happy for him; it came out of the blue. We were doing post-production on 'Made' and he didn't invite anyone but very close family. He came back and said 'I'm married'. I said 'Good on you man.'"

"He was great about it," Favreau agrees. "He's been by, seen the kids a couple of times, but he's a single guy so his energy is elsewhere, as would mine be if I weren't married. Though I think he misses me being out and enjoying the good times."

Do you?

"Yeah, of course. I miss the aspect of sleeping with a lot of women."

He'll have to live vicariously though Vaughn, who he's planning to collaborate with once again later in the year on another self-penned script, 'The Marshall of Revelation'. This time it's an everyday tale of an hacidic jewish gunfighter and a gambler from Chicago who pair up to clean up a town in the old West. Clearly it makes sense to them.

"I think me and Jon have a connection," says Vaughn. "Some people you just click with and really that's just it."