The infamous Hollywood duo Matt Damon and Ben Affleck got their global appreciation after winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. However, it wouldn’t have been possible without Robin Williams’ timeless performance. But surprisingly enough, the late comedian wasn’t the initial choice for the role.
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon had been looking for famous personalities and renowned stars for the character that eventually went to Robin Williams. The actor/director duo wanted star power to boost their movie. However, Williams eventually proved to be the best choice for the role which even made Damon regret doubting the actor.
Robin Williams Wasn’t The Initial Choice For Good Will Hunting
Initially beginning their Hollywood journey with Good Will Hunting in the 90s, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck managed to stay relevant for decades despite the cutthroat competition prevailing in the entertainment industry. Thus, reflecting upon his 1997 movie, Damon discussed how they had been preparing for the success of their movie.
Revealing their decision to rely on star power for the commercial success of Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon revealed how they were hesitant to cast Robin Williams. Discussing how they wrote the character by keeping Denzel Washington in mind, Damon even mentioned their desire to change the script if they could sign Meryl Streep. He shared with GQ
“We wrote [the role] really open-ended… We knew we could adjust it if Morgan Freeman or Denzel Washington wanted to come and play it…If Meryl Streep took the part instead of a father-son relationship it could be a mother-son relationship.”
However, in a strange turn of events, Matt Damon was forced to cast Robin Williams after Francis Ford Coppola suggested the actor. Unfortunately, despite casting Williams, Damon was constantly struggling to get over his doubt regarding Williams’ potential. Until the late comedian proved his worth.
Robin Williams Made Matt Damon Break His Character
Robin Williams is known for his flawless performance that captivates the audience and makes them fall in love with his character. And certainly, he did nothing different when it came to his performance in Good Will Hunting. Appearing as Dr. Sean Maguire who was court-ordered to be Will Hunting’s (Matt Damon) therapist, Williams understood the assignment of how to weave his wild tangents perfectly into a particular cohesive, emotional scene.
During one particular scene in the movie where Will Hunting opens up slightly about his life and speaks about his first date with a perfectly imperfect woman named Skylar, Dr. Maguire being a widower, recounts how his wife was not a perfect specimen either. Thus, Robin Williams started ad-libbing, “she used to fart in her sleep. Just thought I’d share that with you. One night it was so loud, it woke the dog up.”
“She woke up and gone, like, ‘Was that you?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ I didn’t have the heart to tell her. Oh, God.”
Howling with laughter as it is happening, Matt Damon wasn’t prepared for the scene, and soon went out of focus, and broke his character. However, it wasn’t just Damon who lost control, it was in fact the entire crew who couldn’t contain their chuckles. That’s when Damon and Affleck realized Williams was the best choice to carry on the lighthearted emotional sentiment.
Watch Good Will Hunting on Amazon Video.
Source: GQ
