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Matt Damon developed the script for a drama film during his final year at Harvard University. His long-term close friend and struggling actor at the time, Ben Affleck, joined Damon to work on the script. The completed script underwent multiple revisions, and it took them five years to see their script develop into a movie, titledGood Will Hunting, under Miramax Films.
Damon and Affleck wanted someone of star value to play the role of Sean and even considered Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Meryl Streep for the role. Eventually, Robin Williams, primarily known for his comedic roles, was cast as Sean, a decision that proved right when Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
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Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Were In Tears Seeing Robin Williams Act
The original script written byMatt Damonunderwent a lot of changes when Castle Rock Entertainment bought the script. After years of negotiations, Damon andBen Affleckapproached Harvey Weinstein with the script, who purchased the script from Castle Rock and approved the project.
Several directors were considered before Gus Van Sant agreed to helm the film, with the two writers taking on lead roles. But the biggest push for the film came whenRobin Williamsagreed to join the cast. TheDead Poets Societyactor even accepted a substantial pay cut for the film, reducing his fee to $5 million from his usual pay range of $20 million. This meant that Williams was totally confident in the two young talents.
On the first day of the shoot, theFord v. Ferrariactor recalled both he and Affleck were moved to tears as they saw the legendary Robin Williams act in their film.The Martianactor shared withBoston Magazine:
“…I remember we started crying, because it was a scene between Robin and Stellan [Skarsgård.] And when Gus called action and we watched these guys — I mean accomplished actors — do our scene verbatim, we had waited so long for this to happen. I remember just sitting next to Ben and I had tears rolling down my cheeks because I was just so happy and relieved that it was really happening.”
However, theBatman v. Supermanactor recalled not crying uncontrollably, but just tearing up a little bit.Good Will Huntingalso won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The Oscar was a cherry on top for the efforts that both actors put into this film.
Also Read:“He was more of an emotional guy”: Matt Damon Let Best Friend Ben Affleck Take the Fall by Turning Down $179M Movie With Jennifer Garner for a Heartbreaking Reason
Robin Williams Was An Excellent Addition To Matt Damon’s Script
Good Will Huntingwill undoubtedly be best remembered for the scenes between Matt Damon’s Will and Robin Williams’ Sean. The film explores the story of a genius who has a rough life and his relationship with his therapist.The Departedactor noted that theJumanjiactor brought his own unique elements to the script.
In particular, Williams’ fart joke in the movie even left the cameraman laughing uncontrollably, so much so that the camera shake is visible during the scene in the movie. The whole joke, according to Damon, was improvised by theAwakeningsactor. However, Williams was at his acting best in these scenes and not just a comedic relief.
Also Read:“I know I’m screwed, I’m begging”: Matt Damon Knew the Famous Leonardo DiCaprio Twist in Martin Scorsese Movie Would Steal the Show
Fans can pay tribute to the Oscar-winning actor’s performance by streamingGood Will Huntingon Max.
Source:Boston Magazine
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
