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, titled Good Will Hunting, under Miramax Films.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting

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.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Were In Tears Seeing Robin Williams Act

Robin Williams as Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting

The original script written by Matt Damon underwent a lot of changes when Castle Rock Entertainment bought the script. After years of negotiations, Damon and Ben Affleck approached 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 when Robin Williams agreed to join the cast. The Dead Poets Society actor 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, the Ford v. Ferrari actor recalled both he and Affleck were moved to tears as they saw the legendary Robin Williams act in their film. The Martian actor shared with Boston 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, the Batman v. Superman actor recalled not crying uncontrollably, but just tearing up a little bit. Good Will Hunting also 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.

Robin Williams Was An Excellent Addition To Matt Damon’s Script

Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting will 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 Departed actor noted that the Jumanji actor 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 the Awakenings actor. However, Williams was at his acting best in these scenes and not just a comedic relief.