Why Matt Damon And Minnie Driver's Split Got So Messy

It's been a tumultuous year for Matt Damon. In 2021, the "Good Will Hunting" actor was criticized for everything from beefing with Jimmy Kimmel to still using homophobic slurs, as per the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. Despite positive reviews for his most recent film, "The Last Duel," the focus continues to be on Damon's comments rather than his film work. In an interview with British newspaper The Sunday Times, Damon tried to clarify his use of an anti-gay word, saying he decided to "retire" the slur after a request from his children and added, "I do not use slurs of any kind." Still, fans were upset that Damon uttered the word at all in recent years. 

All of this negative attention on Damon has also reminded people of his messy split with actress Minnie Driver back in 1998. After meeting on the set of "Good Will Hunting," Damon and Driver were frequently spotted together and quickly became the "It" couple of the 1990s. Unfortunately, all of that fell apart pretty quickly when Damon declared on nation television that he was single. No matter where he goes, it seems like Damon can't stay away from controversy.

Back in 1998, Matt Damon was a Hollywood heartthrob. At only 28, he found himself with a hit film on his hands. "Good Will Hunting," written with his bromance partner Ben Affleck, was a resounding success, gaining him Oscar buzz for his performance alongside film legend Robin Williams. Damon's personal life seemed to be flourishing too. He met Minnie Driver on the set of the film and the two quickly hit it off, per Yahoo! News. The couple was frequently spotted together, and the two were so cute it seemed like they may have even been the real deal. But after a more than a year of dating, Damon had other plans.

Appearing on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," Damon declared that he was single — harsh news for Driver, who Damon reportedly hadn't bothered to tell in advance of the television appearance. Instead of dealing with their impending breakup in private, Damon aired the couple's dirty laundry on a national stage and their split became one of the most talked-about celebrity breakups of its time. Driver shunned Damon, and the two didn't even talk for over 20 years, per People. She recently told the magazine that her life has since been "messy, odd, and lovely." Driver seemed content with never speaking to Damon again, but earlier this year, all of that changed.

Minnie Driver is finally ready to let the past be the past. More than 20 years have passed since she stopped talking to Matt Damon, but the two reunited by accident earlier this year. Driver recently appeared on the "Keep It!" podcast, where she revealed that she had actually run into Damon and his family by chance this past summer. 

"I did see Matt Damon on the beach and I had not had a conversation with him, seriously, since we made the film," Driver explained, as per People. She called their previous relationship "amazing" and "tabloid-y" and that it "was nice to just have sort of a middle-aged conversation about the weather and stuff."

Damon, who married Luciana Barroso back in 2005, has four daughters and has continued rolling out blockbuster hits. Driver is also long past the messy break-up and is currently promoting her non-fiction book, "Managing Expectations." Stylist recently listed the memoir as one of the best books of 2021. Their relationship may have ended harshly, but both Damon and Driver have come out the other side on top of the world.