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Minnie Driver Reflects on Devastating Breakup with Matt Damon
2 Feb
Summary
- Driver felt devastated by Damon's breakup announcement on Oprah.
- She attended the 1998 Oscars nomination weeks after their split.
- Driver recalled the 'brutal' experience of public heartbreak.
Minnie Driver recently reflected on the significant media attention surrounding her breakup with Good Will Hunting co-star Matt Damon in 1998. The actress described her public heartbreak as a "brutal" experience, amplified by the intense glare of cameras and public interest.
Driver recalled attending the 1998 Academy Awards, where she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, just weeks after her relationship with Damon had ended. She expressed that it was a "devastating" time, wishing she could have celebrated the success of the film more fully.
The actress also commented on Damon's public announcement of their separation on The Oprah Winfrey Show in January 1998, deeming his remarks "fantastically inappropriate." This announcement came shortly after Damon had publicly declared his love for her on David Letterman.
Looking back from her current vantage point, Driver shared that she would advise her younger self to embrace life's challenges and joys, knowing that "it's all going to be absolutely fine." She attended the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, recalling Damon and Ben Affleck as fun collaborators from their early careers.
