Actor Ben Affleck is one of the most influential and talented stars in the entertainment industry right now. He gained a lot of recognition after starring in 1997’s Good Will Hunting alongside his childhood friend Matt Damon and actor Robin Williams.
Affleck and Damon share one of Hollywood’s most enduring and cherished friendships. They became friends when they were kids, growing up together in Massachusetts. They both bonded over the mutual dreams of becoming actors and screenwriters. Together, they co-wrote the screenplay for the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, however, Affleck was once advised to stop collaborating with his pal.
Ben Affleck talked about the worst advice he has ever received
In March, actor Ben Affleck appeared for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter and revealed the terrible advice that almost finished his career. Speaking of his bond with actor Matt Damon, Affleck said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter
“One of the things we reflected on when we did The Last Duel that caused us to want to do this company together was the fact that we wished we’d kept working together more over the years. We fell prey to this idea that, ‘Well, if you don’t individuate your careers and do your own things, people will always associate you together. That will be limiting.’ That was advice we got. And also just a function of the fact that our goal was to work as actors.”
Since 1989, Damon and Affleck have appeared in nine movies together. They starred as uncredited extras in 1989’s Field of Dreams.
Good Will Hunting changed Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s lives overnight
With 1997’s Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon proved that they are capable of doing more than just acting. The two wrote the screenplay together, with Damon beginning the initial script while a student at Harvard. The film draws inspiration from their shared upbringing in the Boston area. Affleck once explained the idea behind the movie( via The Hollywood Reporter),
“The motivation behind making Good Will Hunting was to serve as an acting reel so that we could get jobs as actors, not because we wanted to be writers. So when we became successful and had the opportunity to do movies, we took them. And it’s very hard to let go of that hand-to-mouth mentality you have as an actor. The phone could stop ringing at any time, and especially where Matt and I grew up pretty modestly, it was almost irresponsible to not take a job where they were going to pay you a lot of money.”
Their work earned them an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and created more opportunities for them. Throughout their careers, they have continued to support and collaborate with each other, whether it’s in acting, producing, or directing. Their last film together, 2023’s Air, was also highly praised.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
