Matt Damon and Ben Affleck through the years

16/08/2023

16/08/2023

Their time to shine

With advice and guidance from the likes of legendary actor/director Rob Reiner and mutual friend Kevin Smith, Damon and Affleck finished the screenplay for Good Will Hunting, the story about a rough-around-the-edges former orphan who happens to be a mathematical genius. In 1994, the screenplay was bought by Castle Rock. However, later issues with that company led to the script being purchased by Miramax. It was also important that the pals starred in the movie, which was directed by Gus Van Sant and co-starred the legendary Robin Williams, who won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance.

05/05/2023

2021. HBO Max.

05/05/2023

Living in different worlds

When it comes to star quality, both Damon and Affleck remain firmly entrenched among the Hollywood elite. Damon has been a dependable star on and off screen since the Good Will Hunting breakout (he's been married to his only wife, Luciana Bozán, since 2005). Affleck, meanwhile, is a common subject for tabloid journalism. Whether talking about his failed movies, relationships with fellow stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Garner, and current wife Jennifer Lopez, battles with alcohol and mental health issues, plus accusations of inappropriate behavior toward women, his life personal life seems more dramatic than some of his on-screen performances.

05/05/2023

Together again

Released in 1999, Dogma featured Affleck and Damon as fallen angels, Bartleby and Loki, respectively, looking to get back into heaven via a loophole. Directed by buddy Kevin Smith, the movie offered the duo to star in a comedic environment. Though Dogma is not considered one of Smith's strongest films, it was proved that Damon and Affleck were big enough stars to do about anything at that point in their careers and not really pay a professional price. Two years later, the pair wasn't afraid to poke fun at its Good Will Hunting fame in another Smith project, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

05/05/2023

Take it to the bank

Speaking of money, one of the most interesting stories — which is actually quite practical and even a little endearing — about Damon and Affleck harkens back to the late 1980s and into the '90s. While auditioning for roles, working on the Good Will Hunting script, and rooming together in their apartment, the two also shared a bank account. "It was unusual, but we needed the money for auditions," Damon told The Bill Simmons Podcast . That makes perfect sense, and Affleck and Damon proved to be motivating factors for one another on that quest to fulfill their Hollywood dreams.

01/05/2023

Giving birth to Will Hunting

While attending Harvard, Damon made his credited film debut in the 1988 romantic comedy Mystic Pizza. However, he also wrote an early treatment of what would become the script for Good Will Hunting for an English class, where Affleck reportedly ran scenes from the project. Meanwhile, after high school, Affleck gained more acting roles while trying to continue his academic career. He landed at Los Angeles' Occidental College, where he directed student films. The first movie in which the duo held prominent roles was 1992's School Ties , which starred recent Oscar winner Brendan Fraser. Affleck had a big part while Damon earned a non-speaking role in the 1995 indie comedy Glory Daze, but they also lived together around the L.A. area to save money and work on the script for Good Will Hunting.

01/05/2023

01/05/2023

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01/05/2023

Affleck, a star from the beginning

Though Affleck was born in Berkeley, Calif., on August 15, 1972, his family relocated to Massachusetts when he was a toddler, and Cambridge soon became home. Like Damon, Affeck's mother was a school teacher, while his father performed as a stage actor during the 1960s. The arts were a big part of Affleck's upbringing, and he earned his first acting gig at age seven. At the aforementioned Cambridge Rindge and Latin, Affleck tended to land plum roles in the school's productions. He also found a kindred acting spirit in Damon, who shared his dream of acting for a living.