Despite three nominations (most recently for “The Martian”), Matt Damon has yet to win an Oscar for his acting. Yet at the age of 27 he already held the coveted golden statue in his hands: Damon was credited with writing the script for “Good Will Hunting“ (1997), which he and his friend and long-time artistic partner won am Affleck had written.
In the critically acclaimed tragicomedy, the ‘Oppenheimer’ star also plays the title role of troubled student and math genius Will Hunting, who is supported by therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) to get his life on the right track. The film was a major breakthrough for both Damon and Affleck and received a total of nine Oscar nominations, with Williams taking home his first (and only) Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. A triumph! But How do you feel and what goes through your mind when – like Damon – you become not only a celebrated acting newcomer, but also an Oscar-winning star writer overnight?
During a performance in the Damon recalled Oscar night – and the mixed feelings that came with his win: “I couldn’t sleep, I was still a little excited,” the 53-year-old said. “I remember very clearly looking at the price. I was alone with it and said to myself, ‘Thank God I didn’t cheat anyone in this.’ Suddenly this thought occurred to me: “Imagine chasing the prize and not getting it, and then maybe getting it in your eighties or nineties, after you’ve had your whole life and realized what an incredible waste you are.” Do you understand what I mean?”
So Damon wasn’t just happy about winning the prize. At the same time, he was relieved to avoid the pitfall of chasing the Oscar year after year – and being disappointed every time there was no nomination or win. “I felt so blessed to have experienced this at the age of 27,” the actor continues. “But my heart was literally broken for a second. I imagined another image of myself, an old man saying, ‘Oh my God, where has my life gone? What have I done?’ And then it’s over.”
Instead of focusing his career on possible Oscar opportunities, Damon helmed a successful action franchise with the “Jason Bourne” series and became an ensemble member of the no less popular “Ocean’s” trilogy. In addition to prestigious projects such as Clint Eastwood’s sports drama “Invictus”, he also starred in Farrelly comedies (“Inseparable”) and experimental films (“Gerry”). A varied filmography – and who knows, maybe the acting Oscar will come when Damon no longer expects it?
If you want to learn more about “Good Will Hunting” and its difficult origin story, you can read more here: