Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are the latest celebrities to pay tribute to the late Robin Williams.

Except that Affleck and Damon have a special connection to Williams, who starred in the then-unknown young actor-writers’ first, Oscar-winning film, “Good Will Hunting,” for which Williams won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1998. “Good Will Hunting” went on to rake in nearly $226 million worldwide, and was a huge critical success.

Affleck posted a great statement on Williams’ passing to his Facebook page:

“Heartbroken. Thanks chief – for your friendship and for what you gave the world. Robin had a ton of love in him. He personally did so much for so many people. He made Matt and my dreams come true.

What do you owe a guy who does that? Everything.

May you find peace my friend. #RobinWilliams”

Damon released the following statement of his own:

“Robin brought so much joy into my life and I will carry that joy with me forever. He was such a beautiful man. I was lucky to know him and I will never, ever forget him.

I truly hope the people in the media can find it within themselves to give his family some privacy during this horrible time.”

In one scene between Damon and Williams in “Good Will Hunting,” Williams’ improvisation is so fantastic that you can even catch the camera shaking after catching the cameraman so off-guard with laughter.

According to Matt Damon’s commentary on the DVD, Williams improvised the line about his character’s wife farting in bed. Watch the great scene below:

When accepting his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for “Good Will Hunting” in 1998, Williams said to the young stars: “Thank you, Ben and Matt. I still wanna see some ID!”

He ended the speech with, “Most of all, I want to thank my father, up there (pointing to the sky). The man who, when I said I wanted to be an actor, he said, ‘Wonderful! Just have a backup profession, like welding.’ Thank you.”