Minnie Driver vividly remembers the emotional turmoil she experienced at the 1998 Academy Awards, a pivotal moment that coincided with her personal heartache.
As her ex-partner Matt Damon and his close friend Ben Affleck jubilantly accepted the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "Good Will Hunting," Minnie, who co-starred in the film, watched on with mixed feelings.
A recent Instagram post by Movie Shmood, featuring a clip of Damon and Affleck’s Oscar acceptance, inadvertently brought this poignant memory to the fore.
The video captured Minnie's somber expression as her former co-stars and love interest acknowledged her during their speech.
Minnie and Matt’s romance had blossomed during the filming of "Good Will Hunting." However, their relationship came to an abrupt end in 1998, just before the Oscars, leaving Minnie to confront her feelings of loss publicly.
In a candid response to a fan's observation about her seeming sadness at the Oscars, Minnie confirmed: "Matt had ended our relationship a few weeks before this, and was at the Oscars with his new girlfriend... I was devastated. Wish I could have celebrated more as it was an amazing moment for all of us, and for this wonderful film!"
Since then, Minnie's life has taken a positive turn, finding love again with Addison O'Dea, whom she has been dating since 2019. Matt, too, has moved on and has been married to Luciana Bozán since 2005.
Reflecting on her highly publicized split from Matt, Minnie shared with ITV's "This Morning" hosts Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes, "It was dramatically reported on but I wouldn't change a second of it."
In a more introspective moment on the Sky Breakfast Show with Chris Evans, Minnie opened up about her time with Matt, acknowledging the challenges of young fame.
"Matt Damon was just this lovely, talented, great person who was also very young and got famous very fast. And people don't always behave well in situations when you're under pressure," she explained.
Despite the abrupt end to their relationship and the media frenzy that followed, Minnie looks back on their time together with affection.
She recalls their genuine connection and the improvisational freedom they enjoyed on set, contributing to the authenticity of their on-screen chemistry.
Minnie's journey since "Good Will Hunting," which earned her an Oscar nomination, has been marked by both personal and professional growth.
In promoting her memoir "Managing Expectations," she reminisced on TODAY about the advice her mother gave her during her relationship with Matt: to love with 'loose hands.'
Reflecting on the past, Minnie acknowledged the complexities of being in a high-profile relationship during a rapid rise to fame.
"It's super combustible," she said, emphasizing the need for calm amidst the whirlwind of celebrity life.
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.