Good Will Hunting Star Was Told She Wasn't 'Hot Enough' To Play Skylar

screenrant.com:

Actress Minnie Driver says that she was told that she was not «hot enough» for the role of Skylar in Good Will Hunting. Driver was 26 years old when she landed the role in the Matt Damon/Ben Affleck drama directed by Gus Van Sant. The film, which co-starred Robin Williams, ended up winning two Oscars (Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Williams) and became a major launching point for Affleck and Damon.

At the time of her casting, Driver had already starred in a number of film and TV projects, including Goldeneye, Sleepers, and the British comedy series My Good Friend. She would go on to star in many more notable titles, including Grosse Pointe Blank,Return To Me, and Speechless on ABC. Driver is currently appearing in the HBO Max series Starstruck and is poised to appear in the upcoming Shakespeare retelling Rosaline.

Related: One Of Good Will Hunting's Best Scenes Was Ad-Libbed By Robin Williams

Talking to The Cut, Driver discusses getting the role of Skylar in Good Will Hunting, saying that she was initially told that she "wasn't hot enough" for the part. This is something that devastated her, especially as a young ingenue in Hollywood at the time. "To be told at 26 that you’re not sexy when you maybe just got over all your teenage angst, and started to think, you know, 'Maybe in the right light and the right shoes and the right dress, I’m all right,'" says Driver, reflecting on the moment. She notes that nothing has changed in that regard, elaborating on the uncertainty of maintaining decades-long career in Hollywood:

By the way, that is something that has not changed — there are still just times when people are like ‘she’s too old’ or ‘she’s too tall.' I’ve always thought about how things get distilled.