The intriguing characters and insightful dialogue in ‘Good Will
Hunting’ convinced Robin Williams to take on a dramatic role
By Stephanie Sheh
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Word of mouth is a powerful force in Hollywood. And it has been
saying nothing but good about "Good Will Hunting," Robin Williams’
latest film and the product of actors-and-now-writers Matt Damon
("The Rainmaker") and Ben Affleck ("Chasing Amy").
The film, which just opened in wide release on Friday, has
garnered four Golden Globe nominations: best picture, best
screenplay, Damon for best actor, and Williams for best supporting
actor.
It’s no surprise. Although most widely associated with quirky
comedic roles, Williams has displayed his capacity as a dramatic
actor as well. After all, that’s how he trained at Juilliard. And
as a clean-shaven Williams, clad in a black shirt and wire-framed
glasses, sits down at the Four Seasons, the balance that comedy
occupies in his life quickly becomes apparent.
The actor speaks softly and articulately about his newest
dramatic venture. Then, with a twinkle in his eye, out comes a
voice from one of the millions of characters he has stored within
him that will rant and joke and even sing.
"(Casting Williams) was great because when I watch the movie, I
look at him and I can’t imagine anyone else in this role," says
Lawrence Bender who produced "Good Will Hunting." "He’s got this
strength. He’s a star, but he’s got this vulnerability.
"Audiences don’t really relate him to his dramatic movies,"
Bender continues. "I mean, some of the movies I love the most are
‘Dead Poets (Society),’ ‘(The) World According to Garp,’
‘Awakenings,’ but you don’t relate him normally to those kinds of
movies. He’s a great actor and he has a great sense of
character."
Williams filmography boasts enough zany but endearing parts to
establish him as a strong character actor. Yet this range of
character and genre is not something that he sets out to
accomplish.
"It’s not like all of a sudden, ‘I better do a kids’ movie,’"
the actor/comedian explains. "It happens. They’re sent, and this
one came at a weird time. They worked around my schedule. At first
I said, ‘Well I won’t be able to do this.’ Because I had something
planned and they moved it ahead and I was able to put it in. I
said, ‘Well I know it’s tight but I would like to do it because
this thing is so extraordinary.’
"It isn’t like I was trying to, ‘Okay, now one adult. One child.
One comedy. One serious,’" Williams continues. "No. They happen.
These scripts come in different ways."
And comedy comes from different sources. Williams jokes, "I
discovered it in a bathtub when I went, ‘Wow. What’s that? The
ultimate fun toy. The one that spits.’
"It tends to usually find you," Williams says. "Sometimes do I
get afraid of it? A little bit, yeah. Can I make a joke about
everything? No. Do I try? Sometimes. Will I fail? Sometimes, yeah.
Will I be in bad taste? Occasionally. Will I forget and realize
Mother Teresa has been gone for awhile? Yes."
But Williams admits that comedy is a serious tool for living his
life.
"Either me or other people making fun of me to help me either
just when I’m taking myself too seriously or not taking myself
(seriously enough), to use humor to connect to you. Even in this
movie there’s a therapeutic relationship where he uses it to kind
of bust (Will’s) chops. To use it to kind of reach out to someone.
It can be both. It can be an offensive or defensive weapon. It can
be anything."
Williams is referring to his role as professor/therapist Sean
McGuire who helps Matt Damon’s Will Hunting discover himself and
what he wants out of life.
"I embraced the story. It isn’t just my character," Williams
says. "It seems like all the characters worked. When I talked to
people who’ve seen the movie, it affects them on that level. It
isn’t just me they’re relating to. It’s all the different stories:
Ben and Matt’s characters together  the relationship of two
friends that are that tight, Minnie’s love, the relationship
between Minnie and Matt’s characters. I read the story and went,
‘This is a well-written piece that I want to be a part of.’"
And it was the film’s two young stars, Damon and Affleck, that
created the rich relationships. They co-wrote the script which
Williams said at first reading wasn’t a diamond in the rough, but
"a diamond in the setting."
"It’s the fact that there’s good dialogue," Williams explains.
"It’s the depth of the experience. The stuff they talk about. You’d
think you’d have to go through a lot more to be able to talk about
it that personally."
And according to the buzz, the stellar script is matched with
Williams’ just as stellar performance. Entertainment Weekly and
others are whispering Oscar nomination. But while Williams thinks
it would be nice to be nominated, he won’t be up at five in the
morning awaiting the live telecast of the nominees.
"I’m usually asleep. And you get the call and you wake up. ‘You
got nominated!’ ‘Wow. Wonderful. Zzzzz.’ I’m not going to lie to
you. Then later on it hits you and you go, ‘Yes! It’s a great
honor.’ If you make the final five or whatever, it’s really like
 I’ve never been in the Olympics, but I might compare that
feeling of getting to that level. It’s like, ‘Yes! You made
it.’"
If he should happen to win the golden statuette, where would he
put it?
"I don’t know where I’d put it. I never even thought about
that," Williams says. But his inner comedian wouldn’t be silenced
for long. With a grin he jokes, "On the lawn. Look at it. Worship
me. Come. Waaaah! Look at it. Muhahaaa! Maybe in the house with a
big light going ‘Aahaoooahahaa.’ People come in the door. It’s
like, ‘Ding. Dong. Grab the head. It’s a door knocker.’"
Because you never know what role Williams will find behind the
next door.
FILM: "Good Will Hunting" is currently in theaters.