Ever since making one of the best movies of the ‘90s, Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have famously been known for being best friends. Obviously, they’ve both gone on to have their own wildly successful careers, however, their friendship is also a focal point of public attention. However, what you might not know is Cole Hauser, who is best known for playing Rip on Yellowstone, is very close to these two too, and he recently opened up about their bromance and spending his early days in Hollywood with the guys.
With Season 5B of Yellowstone about to premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, the hype is real to see Hauser return as the fan-favorite character Rip. In a lot of ways, this role has defined his career, however, he’s been working consistently for decades, and it started with Matt and Ben. While speaking to Parade about his early days in Hollywood as well as his friendship with Affleck and Damon, he said:
Oh yeah. They’re like brothers. After filming School Ties, we moved out to L.A. and started auditioning. We all lived together for quite some time. And we ate a lot of Oodles of Noodles and mac and cheese. I think we can all make Top Ramen about 10 different ways.
It’s kind of wild to picture these three eating Top Ramen for every meal. However, it’s also sweet to hear stories like this that show just how close these guys were as well as how hard they worked to get to where they are today.
For a bit of a history lesson, Hauser met Affleck and Damon while filming 1992’s School Ties. At the time, all three men hadn’t been in much. The boys from Boston had uncredited roles in Field of Dreams, where they met Hauser’s future co-star Kevin Costner and starred in a handful of TV movies, plus Damon was in Mystic Pizza. Meanwhile, their co-star had been in one movie before this. So, landing these parts was a big deal!
Then, after School Ties, all three continued working – with Affleck and Hauser landing roles in the classic Dazed and Confused. In 1997 things really took a turn though when they all starred in Good Will Hunting.
Affleck and Damon wrote the screenplay for the film, and they were able to land the great Robin Williams as well as other established actors like Stellan Skarsgård. However, when it came to casting their characters’ friends, they looked to their own friends and family. So, Hauser was cast as Billy, while Affleck’s little brother Casey played the part of Morgan.
Now, Good Will Hunting is 27 years old, and all four of those guys have long and impressive careers. Looking back on all this, Hauser was asked if it was “extra-gratifying” to know that this crew “paid all your dues together” as they were coming up in the business. He confirmed that it is, and acknowledged all the hard work they’ve all put in, explaining:
Absolutely. We used to talk all the time about how we've all taken the stairs. You know, there have been no elevators. And I think it makes it that much more rewarding.
Now, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Cole Hauser are all beloved and certified stars. Damon and Affleck, of course, won an Oscar for Good Will Hunting’s script, and went on to make many magnificent films. Meanwhile, Hauser has worked consistently for the last three decades. However, he rose to a totally new level of fame after he joined the Yellowstone cast to play Rip Wheeler.
Pretty soon, we’ll get to see him back on our screens as the tough cowboy when Yellowstone returns to the Paramount Network on November 10 at 8 p.m. ET. In the meantime, you can go back and see where these guys’ friendship and careers began by streaming School Ties and Good Will Hunting with a Paramount+ subscription.
