Ben Affleck remembers his films with Matt Damon: “‘Good Will Hunting’ changed everything”

“At the time we let ourselves be convinced that we had to get the public to stop thinking of us as a duo, that we each have their own identity. We couldn’t continue being Matt and Ben forever… Over time you realize that The people you work with are a fundamental part of your life… and also share that with him, I can’t imagine anything better.” This is how Ben Affleck explained in his interview with Fotogramas the friendship that unites him with Matt Damon: “You keep your best friends consciously: you decide to protect that friendship,” he added. On the 25th anniversary of the premiere of ‘Good Will Hunting’, and in the wake of the recently revived creative collaboration with Matt Damon, we asked Ben Affleck to remember and comment for PHOTOGRAMS his favorite moments of a dynamic and film-loving duo that he has left still much to tell.

Good Will Hunting’ (G. Van Sant, 1997)

The film that changed everything: “We came from a series of somewhat frustrating years. We showed up for all the tests, we tried to get caught… and nothing good came out. So we started to write a script together to enhance the facets in which we thought we stood out as actors. The idea was to record it on video, use it as a book to teach the casting directors and let them see what we were capable of. The moment invited this kind of madness. Years ago, Spike Lee had triumphed with ‘Do the right thing’ (1989), Richard Linklater shot ‘Slacker’ (1990), Kevin Smith made ‘Clerks’ (1994), Quentin Tarantino, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992).”

“We thought it was doable, that we could get a star and shoot it for a couple of million dollars. We wrote cheap, just people talking in rooms, nothing ambitious. The thing is, we got lucky and we got Robin Williams and Gus Van Sant. They gave us the Oscar while filming ‘Dogma’. They gave us a couple of days off, we went to the gala and came back with the award. That was the moment our lives changed. I think it’s still the ceremony with the greatest ratings history because it was the year of Titanic’s 11 Oscars. We became more famous for winning the Oscar at that gala than for the movie we wrote! ‘Good Will Hunting’ was the link that ultimately defined our lifelong connection. Because we realized that working together, the results, the whole, was always greater than the sum of the two parts.”

‘Field of Dreams’ (PA Robinson, 1989)

The first steps: “It’s true, we were extras in ‘Field of Dreams’. We were in the stands and after we finished we chatted for a few minutes with Kevin Costner, who was great. I think they paid us $50. We knew a local casting director and would show up to every shoot that was done in Boston. I also remember being in ‘The Price of Passion’ (1988), by Leonard Nimoy. We were just kids, but we knew we wanted to do it, so we took every opportunity to see movies being made.”

‘Private School’ (Robert Mandel, 1992)

All for a dream: “Our first studio movie! We hallucinate. We both auditioned for the role that Brendan Fraser ended up playing. So the rejected candidates got the rest of the gang. Matt was cast as Villain #1 and I was cast as his henchman. He had a lot more dialogue and more screen presence, but I wasn’t jealous or bitter. I thought I wish they would have given me the role of Brendan. Better, I thought that I wish they would give me the leading role in all the movies. We were young and we wanted it all.”

‘Dogma’ (Kevin Smith, 1999)

Between the sky and the earth: “My third film with Kevin and my first where Matt had a role, not a cameo, with him. Shooting in Pittsburgh, we realized that the world was turned upside down and that overnight, we were famous. We had each other to understand how weird everything was. ‘Dogma’ was our last movie together for a long time, but we passed around scripts, notes and advice. Before shooting ‘Bye bye little girl,’ for example, my brother Casey and I went to Miami for a few days, where Matt lived, to prepare some scenes together.”

‘The last duel’ (Ridley Scott, 2021)

Return announced: “Shooting with Ridley Scott, as well as both Matt and I realizing how crazy it was to have waited so many years to work together again, I discovered that you can shoot fast without sacrificing quality. Even improving the performances, because since Ridley uses so many cameras at the same time there is a feeling of urgency and novelty. With ‘The Last Duel’, you felt like you have to be in character and in the scene at all times because everything is moving so fast that you better be prepared and do it right or you’re going to look like an ass on screen”.

‘Air’ (Ben Affleck, 2023)

The big bet: “When Alex Convery’s script came into our hands, we knew it was the ideal story to start Artists Equity, our production company, and resume our work together on screen. Do you know what the secret to directing is? Do a good casting. Having a good cast is a guarantee of a good filming. Because once you’ve chosen an actor, little else can be changed: you give them the film, it’s all in their hands. On the set of ‘Air’ I was surrounded by talent: Viola Davis, Jason Bateman, Chris Messina and of course, Matt. When I had a question about a take or was worried about finding the tone for a scene, nine times out of 10 Matt would solve it with his interpretation.”

“All the problems melted away. Even on a bad day, Matt is fucking good. You know you’re lucky to have him. You just have to look at his resume. It’s no coincidence, he’s there for a reason. I don’t think there is another active actor who has worked with better directors than him. The plot also connects with the ideal that upholds our production company: Let people who work well do their job. We have a radical business plan that says that paying well to the better creative technicians is, in reality, a saving in production costs and it will mean more benefits because the film will turn out better. Now I hope that the public agrees with us and we can continue with this adventure”.