In the late ‘90s, Hollywood was abuzz with the tale of two rising stars: Matt Damon and Minnie Driver. Their on-screen chemistry in the critically acclaimed film Good Will Hunting (1997) spilled into real life. As a result, the media and fans absolutely couldn’t get enough of them.
As the leading man and lady of the Oscar-winning film, Damon and Driver’s relationship became a subject of fascination among onlookers. Unfortunately, their romance soon came to an end. Now, over two decades after they parted ways, their old relationship is stirring up conversations once again. After a video from the 1998 Oscars recently resurfaced, the names of the former lovers have returned to fans' lips. Here’s a timeline of their brief ‘90s romance.
April – June 1997: Matt Damon & Minnie Driver Meet & Start Dating
In 1998, Damon and Driver met on the set of Good Will Hunting. Filming for the movie took place between April and June 1997. Within that time, the two became pleasantly acquainted. As filming progressed, so did their relationship- both for the characters they portrayed and in real life. They took a liking to each other, and by the time filming wrapped in June, they were smitten.
Subsequently, they began dating, marking the beginning of a passionate but short romantic relationship. In an interview with The Telegraph in 2012, Driver spoke about how she fell in love with Damon during the making of the movie. “In real life, by the time we filmed this scene, I was completely in love with Matt,” she said. “I was blown away by his commitment to me as an actor, he was cute and intelligent and altogether a really charming package. I was young and I fell for him – it's an occupational hazard.”
Late 1997: All Loved Up
During the promotion of Good Will Hunting and in subsequent interviews, Damon and Driver were often seen together. Admittedly, they were co-stars, so it was only natural. However, they had started dating by then, and their chemistry was undeniable whenever they appeared on-screen together. In an interview on the Late Show with David Letterman, Matt Damon enthusiastically spoke about Minnie Driver and their relationship. The actor said that she “pretty much rocked my world.”
January 1998: A Surprising Announcement
After a couple months of being together, things came to a surprising end between Driver and Damon. On an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show in January 1998, Matt Damon shared that he was single. According to E! News, Damon said on the show, “Well, I'm single. I was with Minnie for a while, but we're not really romantically involved anymore. We're just really good friends, and I love her dearly… I care about her a lot. We care about each other a lot. It wasn't meant to be, you know? And if it's not meant to be, then it's not meant to be.”
Subsequently, Minnie Driver addressed the matter of their breakup. Speaking to The Los Angeles Times, the actress stated, “It's unfortunate that Matt went on Oprah; it seemed like a good forum for him to announce to the world that we were no longer together, which I found fantastically inappropriate. Of course, he was busy declaring his love for me on David Letterman a month previously.”
March 1998 – Present: The Oscars & The Aftermath
Two months after the Oprah interview, the 70th Academy Awards ceremony took place. Both Damon and Driver were nominated in acting categories, and their movie had seven more nominations. Although neither won in their acting categories, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck bagged a win for Best Screenplay. Additionally, the late Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
During their acceptance speech, Damon and Affleck acknowledged several people, one of whom was Minnie Driver. When her name was mentioned, the camera panned to the actress’ face, and she had a forlorn look rather than one of joy. This is the clip that recently resurfaced and sparked conversation. Fans, upon seeing the clip, pointed out that Driver looked quite sad, even though her co-stars had just won an award.
Minnie Driver Responds
The clip was posted on the MovieShmood Instagram account. Minnie Driver commented, “My face,” alongside multiple laughing emojis. Additionally, she replied to a comment under the post that read, “Minnie looks so sad.” In her response, she was as clear as day about the reason for her expression.
“Matt had ended our relationship a few weeks before this, and was at the Oscars with his new gf... I was devastated. Wish I could have celebrated more as it was an amazing moment for all of us, and for this wonderful film,” she wrote. At the end of the day, however, It’s been 25 years since they went their separate ways. Moreover, they have both moved on with their lives. Damon has been married to Luciana Bozan since 2005, and Driver is currently engaged to Addison O’Dea.
