Matt Damon reveals why he hadn't collaborated with Ben Affleck since 'Good Will Hunting'
Oct 13, 2021
Washington [US], October 13 : Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who have collaborated for their upcoming film 'The Last Duel', had set high standards for themselves when they wrote the 1997 film 'Good Will Hunting'.
The Robin Williams-starrer earned nine nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. But, surprisingly, it wasn't the high expectations that kept Damon and Affleck from working together again. According to Damon, it was simply a matter of planning.
At the New York City premiere for their upcoming film 'The Last Duel', Damon told E! News that he and Affleck "assumed (writing) would be so time-consuming that we'd never be able to do it."
'The Talented Ripley' actor explained that between his family and Affleck's they thought they'd "never find the time" to write another script like 'Good Will Hunting'. But they realised, "If we just work during hours that we could easily carve out, we could get a lot done."
It turned out the project wasn't as difficult as they anticipated, as Damon shared, "We wrote it faster than we thought we would."
Affleck added that he feels fortunate to have Damon not just as a collaborator, but as a friend, too.
"I grew up with this guy, I've known him forever. We're from the same world and place, and stayed close and I often think about people who come into this business and there are some challenges that get thrown at you," Affleck explained.
"You're lucky if you get to do the job you love and luckier if it's with people that you love," he reflected.
Damon's support for Affleck extends to his friend's love life as well. The 'Jason Bourne' actor remarked that he's "happy" Affleck has found love with Jennifer Lopez and said, "I'm happy for them... We all deserve love, why not them?"
'The Last Duel' hits theatres on October 15.
