Ben Affleck Matt Damon Robin Williams Award: Reflecting on Their Shared Legacy
The Ben Affleck Matt Damon Robin Williams Award moment arrives on April 27, 2026, and it is already one of the most emotionally significant events in Hollywood this year. The Good Will Hunting duo will travel to San Francisco to receive the 9th Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award, presented personally by Robin’s own children, Zak, Zelda, and Cody Williams. This is not a typical industry honor. It is something far more personal than that. What Is the Ben Affleck Matt Damon Robin Williams Award? The Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award, now in its 9th year, is presented by Glenn Close’s nonprofit Bring Change to Mind. The award recognizes recipients for their impact and the power of storytelling and connection to spark real change. The event, the Revels and Revelations Celebration, takes place at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture in San Francisco on April 27, 2026. Bring Change to Mind focuses on ending the stigma around mental health and was cofounded by Emmy-winning actress Glenn Close. Past recipients of the award include Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Stiller, Will Smith and his family, Amy Poehler, and Ryan Reynolds. The event is already sold out, which tells you everything you need to know about how significant this particular night feels to the people who care about Robin Williams’ legacy. Why Robin’s Children Are Presenting the Award Affleck and Damon will receive the award from Robin’s own children, Zak, Zelda, and Cody Williams. That detail changes the entire emotional weight of the moment. This is not a standard industry presentation. It is Robin’s family choosing to place this honor in the hands of two men their father believed in completely, at a time when nobody else had reason to. There is a full-circle quality to it that is genuinely difficult to put into words. Read more: Oprah Winfrey 1986 Oscars Gown Was So Brutally Heavy It Left a Permanent Scar Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Statement About Robin Williams Source: Photo by Eva Rinaldi / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Their joint statement to The Hollywood Reporter is worth reading slowly. “Robin wasn’t just someone we admired. He made our dreams come true. We owe everything to him. He said yes to our movie and we got it made. Receiving the Legacy of Laughter Award, created in honor of Robin Williams, is incredibly meaningful to us. His legacy isn’t just about his talent and how much he made the world laugh — it’s about how deeply he cared. This honor carries his spirit, and that means everything to us.” That is not a press release. That is two people writing about someone they loved and lost, trying to find words equal to what he meant to them. They do not quite get there, because nobody could. But the attempt is everything. The Moment That Changed Everything for Affleck and Damon Damon recalled watching Williams perform on their very first day of shooting. “We weren’t working that day and we just saw them rehearse and we were kind of sitting off to the side of the camera.” He told E!: “I couldn’t believe it. I was just looking at Robin start to speak and say these words that Ben and I had just worked on for five years.” Think about what that moment meant. Five years of work. A script nobody believed in yet. And then Robin Williams starts saying those words, and the tears come before the director even calls action. After Williams passed away in 2014, both men paid tribute publicly. Affleck wrote “Thanks chief — for your friendship and for what you gave the world,” while Damon said in a statement: “Robin brought so much joy into my life and I will carry that joy with me forever.” While making press rounds for his film The Instigators in 2024, Damon also expressed support for efforts to create a statue honoring Williams at the Public Garden, saying: “It would be like the most beautiful installation and like such a tribute to that guy. I think he would’ve loved that.” Read more: Oscars 2027 Date Officially Confirmed — Your Complete Awards Season Calendar Is Here About Bring Change to Mind and Why This Event Matters Founded by Glenn Close in 2010, Bring Change to Mind works to end discrimination related to mental illness and foster open discussions about mental health among young people. The cause is deeply personal for Close. Her sister lives with bipolar disorder and her nephew with schizoaffective disorder, and she has spoken publicly about both for years. The 2026 event marks a milestone for Bring Change to Mind as it celebrates 15 years of impact and a decade steering student programming. Philanthropist Pam Baer will also be honored with a Champion of Change Award for her leadership in advancing mental health awareness. Robin Williams died by suicide in 2014. The award was created in 2017 to honor his memory. The connection between his legacy and mental health advocacy is not incidental. It is the heart of why this award exists and why receiving it from his children carries the weight it does. Frequently Asked Questions What is the Ben Affleck Matt Damon Robin Williams Award called? The Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award, presented by Bring Change to Mind, now in its 9th year. Who is presenting the award to Ben Affleck and Matt Damon? Robin Williams’ three children, Zak, Zelda, and Cody Williams, will personally present the award to Affleck and Damon. Where and when is the award ceremony taking place? The Revels and Revelations Celebration takes place on April 27, 2026, at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture in San Francisco. Why are Ben Affleck and Matt Damon receiving the Robin Williams Award? In recognition of their impact through the power of storytelling and their deep personal connection to Robin Williams through Good Will Hunting, which earned all three of them Academy Awards. Who founded Bring Change to







