Matt in Good Will Hunting
So, how did Good Will Hunting came about? "We couldn't get arrested. The only reason we wrote it was to get jobs!" Matt had written a one act play as part of his writing course in Harvard. His professor encouraged him to complete it, so Matt showed it to Ben. They both decided that it was something that they could do together.
The original inspiration
for Good Will Hunting came from Matt's sister-in-law. "Will Hunting
is a math prodigy and he works as a janitor. My sister-in-law is a graphic
designer for MIT, and she told me how at MIT they have chalkboards in
the hallway where if you suddenly figure out the key to cold fusion you
can spin and just write it there as you're walking to class. Will writes
on a blackboard as he's sweeping up, and his talent is discovered. It
raises questions like "Why does Will decide to be a janitor there?"
They worked on their script over and over, acting the roles. Matt, then passed on the script to his agent, who then passed it on to his literary department. In four days, a bidding war started for the script. The rights to the scripts was first picked up by Castle Rock, who later then announced that the film will be shot in Toronto "for budgetary reasons." Matt and Ben knew that Boston was essential to the plot, and they wnet about to look for another buyer within 90 days. Kevin Smith (of Chasing Amy) then gave the script directly to Harvey Weinstein, Miramax studio chief. Says Weinstein, "It has everything, the love story, the buddies...". Miramax then bought the script, the day after Weinstein read it.
They then decided to send their script to a great director and see what happened. They eventually got Gus Van Sant. "We thought that this was just an incredible dream come true. I mean, what he can do with actors is really amazing. Look at Nicole Kidman in To Die For and River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho. These aren't ordinary performances." On the other hand, Gus Van Sant mentioned that he was compelled to do the script. "I was attracted to the the notion of Will trying to create a family", he says.
Matt and Robin Williams
The next thing that happened was Robin Williams joined the crew, and gave a spellbinding performance. "It was amazing to hear Robin Williams speaking our lines," says Matt. "It was incredible, I started crying the first time. And the next thing you know a surprisingly good - like in the old days - Robin Williams is in your movie." Robin Williams said he had great confidence in the script and Van Sant - until he first met Damon and Affleck. "I walked in and thought, "When are your fathers getting here?"", he said. The rest, as we know it, is history.