The iconic actor Matt Damon owes his life to: “The funniest person that I ever met”
It’s fair to say that Matt Damon has enjoyed a career of true excellence that most of his contemporary actors could only ever dream of achieving. After coming through in the late 1980s, Damon went on to star in some seriously significant pieces of cinema and duly became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
The likes of The Talented Mr. Ripley, the Bourne movies, Saving Private Ryan and Oppenheimer have all profited from having Damon’s fearless commitment to the actor profession to exploit, and time and time again, he’s showcased a versatility, taking on a wide range of character roles in movies of varying genre and tone.
One of Damon’s most significant films remains his breakthrough, Gus Van Sant’s 1997 psychological drama Good Will Hunting, written by Damon with his frequent collaborator and friend Ben Affleck. Damon plays a troubled mathematical genius working as a janitor at MIT. After being discovered by a professor at the college, he is sent to work with a therapist, played by Robin Williams, to help resolve some of his inner trauma and free his boundless potential.
Damon and Affleck were unknown talents at the time, and after getting Drugstore Cowboy’s Gus Van Sant on board to direct, they were gifted with the presence of Robin Williams, who gave the film the star quality that undoubtedly led to its nine Academy Award nominations, including ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Williams.
In an interview with Yahoo, Damon once admitted that he and Affleck “owe everything” to the Mrs. Doubtfire actor. “He said yes to our movie, and he got it made,” Damon noted. “I could never thank him enough. You know, I look around at the life I have and how blessed I feel, and so much of it started with him.”
There’s a deep gratitude in Damon for Williams, who Damon called “the funniest person that I ever met in my life.” Indeed, it’s fair to say that Williams was well-loved for his sense of humour, not only in his many stand-up comedy routines and movies but also in real life, where he served as a shining light against the difficult realities of living.
Damon spoke of how Williams would provide a positive atmosphere on set, even when the production of the film became beleaguered. The actor explained, “He was the guy who, when the crew was flagging, he would stop everything and do 20 minutes of stand-up off the top of his head that literally had everybody on the floor, then be like, ‘OK, let’s get back to work.'”
Williams tragically took his own life in 2014 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and suffering from depression. His autopsy also found Lewy body disease, which causes a significant change in mood and behaviour. Damon admitted that Williams’ death came as a shock, but it had the consequence of making him a better person.
“I hope I become better at checking in with my friends, and I hope that we as a country get better at checking in with each other to prevent this kind of thing,” Damon noted. Evidently, Williams left the most important impression on Damon – not only did he help bring his first film to fruition and excellence, but he also showed him the importance of smiling through one’s darkest moments.
