Good Will Hunting was released twenty-four years ago and a lot has happened with the cast of the legendary film since then.
Some have gone on to seek cracking careers while others haven’t been so lucky and have been through incredibly tough times.
The blockbuster movies included big Hollywood names such as Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Minnie Driver, not forgetting, the late Robin Williams.
From fortune and fame to agony and addiction, the cast have had lived varied lives and succumbed to many tragedies along the way. But let’s have a look at what they are up to now…
Matt Damon
(Image: Getty Images)
Matt Damon played the iconic lead role of Will Hunting in the hit 1997 film. The 51-year-old has gone on to dominate Hollywood over the years with big appearances in massive titles.
His roster includes Saving Private Ryan, Ocean’s Eleven, The Bourne Identity, We Bought a Zoo, The Departed and The Martian.
But his glowing career hasn’t come without criticism as he has come under fire in recent years after suggesting that the Hollywood sexual misconduct scandal which came to light in 2017 revealed a “culture of outrage” that has gone too far.
(Image: Miramax pictures)
The US actor told Popcorn With Peter Travers, on ABC News: “We live in this culture of outrage and injury, that we’re going to have to correct enough to kind of go, ‘Wait a minute. None of us came here perfect'”.
He was met with a tonne of brutal backlash, which was then added two years later after he allegedly admitted to using a homophobic slur in “his personal life” after his daughter told him it was unacceptable.
This didn’t go down too well either and Matt since denied using the “f-slur”.
In an interview with the Sunday Times, he said: “She went to her room and wrote a very long, beautiful treatise on how that word is dangerous. I said, ‘I retire the f-slur!’ I understood.”
Robin Williams
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
After starring as therapist Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting, the genius actor appeared in films Bicentennial Man, Night at the Museum and The Big Wedding, as well as on TV shows Great Minds Think for Themselves and The Crazy Ones.
He was known as an icon and comedy legend to fans and top industry players, however, Robin sadly committed suicide in August 2014 at age 63.
Robin was found dead in his home in Paradise Cay, California on August 11 and his death was ruled as a suicide resulting from “asphyxia due to hanging”.
It was reported that neither alcohol nor illegal drugs were involved, and prescription drugs present in his body were at therapeutic levels.
The report also revealed that Robin had been suffering from depression and anxiety and an examination of his brain tissue suggested Williams suffered from “diffuse Lewy body dementia”.
His widow Susan Schneider Williams later described the disease as “the terrorist inside my husband’s brain”, and said that “however you look at it—the presence of Lewy bodies took his life”, referring to his prior diagnosis of Parkinson’s.
Ben Affleck
(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
After playing Chuckie Sullivan in Good Will Hunting, Ben, 49, went on to have a successful acting career starring in big hitters such as Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Jersey Girl, Surviving Christmas, The Town and Gone Girl.
However, in the past year, Ben has been hitting the headlines for another reason, his reignited romance with stunning singer Jennifer Lopez.
The pair decided to rekindle their relationship after being together in the noughties and have now become one of the A-list world’s new ‘IT’ couples again.
Things are looking on the up for the star who suffered a public divorce with actress Jennifer Garner in past years and turned to alcohol because of it.
Ben reportedly became addicted to booze after attempting to try and “drink the pain away” but is said to be in a much brighter place now.
Minnie Driver
(Image: PA)
After playing Skylar in the film, Minnie, 51, appeared on TV shows and movies such as Will & Grace, Revisioned, Tomb Raider, The Riches, The Deep and About a Boy.
She hit out at her former co-star Matt Damon in 2017 when he defended comedian Louis CK after a series of sexual misconduct allegations were true.
Matt had said in his defence that it was “wonderful that women are feeling empowered to tell their stories and it’s totally necessary”, but added: “We live in this culture of outrage and injury, that we’re going to have to correct enough to kind of go, ‘Wait a minute. None of us came here perfect.'”
He also said: ““I don’t know Louis CK. I’ve never met him. I’m a fan of his, but I don’t imagine he’s going to do those things again. You know what I mean? I imagine the price that he’s paid at this point is so beyond anything.”
Minnie publicly responded on social media: “God God, seriously?
“Gosh it’s so interesting (profoundly unsurprising) how men with all these opinions about women’s differentiation between sexual misconduct, assault and rape reveal themselves to be utterly tone deaf and as a result, systemically part of the problem.”
She later said: “I don’t understand why Matt would defend Louis CK. It seems to me that he thinks that because he didn’t rape somebody – so far as we know – that what he did do wasn’t as bad.
“That’s a problem. If good men like Matt Damon are thinking like that then we’re in a lot of f***ing trouble. We need good intelligent men to say this is all bad across the board, condemn it all and start again.”
George Plimpton
(Image: Ibex Nostalgia /Youtube)
George Plimpton played Henry Lipkin, a psychologist, in the mega movie and was known for being an American journalist, writer and occasional amateur sportsman, alongside acting, of course.
The star led an incredibly varied life however unfortunately died in 2003 aged 76.
The actor passed away on September 25, 2003, in his New York City apartment from a heart attack which was later determined to have been caused by a catecholamine surge.
A catecholamine surge can be caused by any major stress, such as burns, a whole-body infection such as sepsis, illness, surgery, or traumatic injury alongside many blood pressure medicines.
Stay up to date with the latest news in Showbiz and follow your favourite celebrities by signing up for our newsletter by clicking here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
