Ben Affleck and Matt Damon found themselves financially strained just half a year after receiving a substantial payday for their involvement in the acclaimed film, Good Will Hunting.
Although today they are recognized as prominent figures in Hollywood, their journey began with humble beginnings.
The 1997 film Good Will Hunting is often credited with establishing Affleck and Damon’s early careers.
Featuring Robin Williams, the film centers on Will Hunting (played by Damon), a math prodigy who turns to a psychiatrist for help with an emotional crisis.
Affleck and Damon sold the screenplay for $600,000, which they divided equally, as they were housemates and shared a bank account at the time.
During a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Affleck discussed how the funds were depleted in a surprisingly short time.
Affleck expressed his initial satisfaction with the money, believing he would “never have to work again,” but reality proved otherwise.
After agent fees, taxes, and purchasing costly vehicles, their financial situation became precarious.
“We sold it [Good Will Hunting] for $600,000, we split that, $300,000 each, and then the agents got $30,000 so we had $270,000 and we paid about $160,000 in taxes so we had $110,000, each bought $55,000 Jeep Cherokees and then had $55,000 left,” Affleck explained to Barrymore.
“Naturally we decided to rent a $5,000 a month party house on Glencoe Way by the Hollywood Bowl and we were broke in six months.”
Affleck added, “We were friends and we wanted each other to succeed and we love each other, so it seemed clear like, let’s do this together.”
Damon reminisced about their shared bank account during their interview on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
The actor known for his role in Jason Bourne mentioned that they utilized this joint account for traveling to New York for auditions.
Damon shared that the account was established during high school and was used into their adulthood to manage bills.
“As long as one of us had money, we knew the power wasn’t going to get shut off,” Damon stated.
Affleck added, “But we were going to help each other and be there for each other.”
Although they faced financial challenges early on, it is clear that Affleck and Damon have enjoyed a successful career since those days.