Minnie Driver's Response to Matt Damon's 1998 Oscars Speech
Minnie Driver opens up about her true emotions when her ex-boyfriend Matt Damon won an Oscar alongside Ben Affleck in 1998 for their film 'Good Will Hunting' Discover her honest reaction to the iconic moment
Minnie Driver, 53, commented on an Instagram clip of Matt Damon, 53, and Ben Affleck accepting their Best Screenplay award for Good Will Hunting at the 1998 Academy Awards, expressing mixed feelings about the moment. Throughout the broadcast, Driver was seen with a wistful expression as Affleck gave her a shout-out for her "brilliant" performance as Skylar in the film.
Replying to another post that commented "Minnie looks so sad," Driver explained why she seemed upset at the awards ceremony. "Matt had ended our relationship a few weeks before this and was at the Oscars with his new girlfriend...I was devastated," she shared.
While Driver did not mention the woman's name, Damon was connected to Winona Ryder not long after he and Driver broke up in 1998. "Wish I could have celebrated more as it was an amazing moment for all of us, and for this wonderful film! ️," she added.
The former couple first met on the set of Good Will Hunting in 1997 when they played love interests. The film went on to win two Oscars out of the nine it was nominated for the following year, with Robin Williams winning Best Supporting Actor. Both Driver and Damon were also nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actor, respectively.
Damon announced their split two months before the Oscars during a talk show appearance in January 1998, revealing that he was single. Driver described the highly publicized breakup as feeling like a "strange, surreal dream" in a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight in May 2022.
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The driver then shared that at the 1998 Oscars, there was a cameraman "in [her] grill" and likened him to "a wildlife photographer waiting for the kill." She added, "He was just waiting for the moment that I was going to break or something was going to happen, or I was going to get up and scream. He’d been told, ‘Stay on her, bud. Something’s gonna happen.’"
The Speechless alum attributes her ability to get through the ceremony to her father. “He was just squeezing my hand, and so he was doing what a dad does, which is protecting their kid,” Driver told the outlet.
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Even though her romance with Damon ended unhappily, Driver recalls their time together "with fondness." She described it as a sweet love that was overshadowed by a turbulent ending, which then became the focus. In the years following their relationship, both Driver and Damon have found new love. Driver celebrated her fifth anniversary with fiancé Addison O’Dea, while Damon, father to three daughters with wife Luciana Barroso, has moved on from their past relationship as well.
