The death of Robin Williams shocked the world and it seemed like everyone who knew him wanted to talk about him, share funny stories and special memories. Matt Damon had a close relationship with Robin Williams but remained fairly quiet after his death.
He recently opened up about Williams and how he touched his life and started his career.
“Ben [Affleck] and I owe everything to him,” Damon, 43, told Us Weekly. “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.”
Damon and Affleck worked with Williams on the hit film Good Will Hunting and Damon said that Williams really helped make the film successful.
Matt Damon remembers Robin Williams: "I owe everything to him" http://t.co/AdNjJCvdbF
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) September 28, 2014
Damon also talked about the death of Williams and said he was shocked when he heard the news.
“I was shocked,” Damon said. “I hadn’t been in touch with him and obviously he was battling severe depression.”
He also said that he was surprised to hear that Williams had been battling Parkinson’s Disease.
He went on to say that he thinks part of the reason Williams’ death was so shocking is because the world knew him as a happy-go-lucky guy and nobody could have imagined how unhappy he really was.
“I think it affected everybody in the country, actually,” Damon added. “We all felt like we knew him and that he was a part of our lives… I think everyone who wasn’t there with him at the end feels bad that they didn’t see it coming.”
He said that although Williams’ death was tragic, he thinks it may help people who are battling the same disease as Williams.
“I hope that it can start a conversation in the country about depression and just how serious it is, and what an exceptionally powerful disease that it is,” he said. “I hope I become better at checking in with my friends. I hope that we, as a country, get better at checking in with each other.”