Matt Damon On Robin Williams: 'Ben Affleck & I Owe Everything To Him'

Actor says that so much of his success is down to his late Good Will Hunting co-star...

Thursday, September 25, 2014 - 14:07

Matt Damon has revealed he 'owes everything' to the late Robin Williams.

During an interview with Yahoo! News' Katie Couric, the Oscar-winning actor spoke fondly of his Good Will Hunting co-star, crediting Williams for his success.

Speaking of his reaction to the news that Robin had passed away, Damon revealed: "I was shocked. I hadn't been in touch with him and obviously, he was battling severe depression and I hope it can start a conversation in the country about depression, just how serious it is and what an exceptionally powerful disease that it is.

"I think it affected everybody in the country actually. We all felt like we knew him and he was a part of our lives."

Referring to their 1997 flick Good Will Hunting, Damon continued: "Ben (Affleck) and I owe everything to him. He said yes to our movie and he got it made. I could never thank him enough. I look around at the life I have and how blessed I feel and so much of it started with him."

When asked what the real Robin Williams was like, the 43-year old recalled: "He was the funniest person I ever met in my life. He was the guy who, when the crew was flagging, would stop everything and do 20 minutes of stand-up off the top of his head that literally had everybody on the floor and we were like, 'Ok, let's get back to work'.

"He was amazingly generous with that time he gave to help other people but just in life, if you walked down the street and if somebody stopped him he would talk to that person, he engaged with every single person and he understood at some level, the impact that he had on people. He could see people light up when they saw him.

"I think that is what I carry with me… the joy he brought in my life."