Defends gay actor comments
In an interview with DeGeneres on The Ellen Show, Damon defends comments he made in The Guardian about gay actors.
I was just trying to say actors are more effective when they’re a mystery. Right? And somebody picked it up and said I said gay actors should get back in the closet. Which is like I mean it’s stupid, but it is painful when things get said that you don’t believe…In the blogosphere there’s no real penalty for just taking the ball and running with it,” Damon said. “You know what I mean? You’re just trying to click on your thing. So.
The Guardian interview
Damon is interviewed by The Guardian. He talks about The Martian, Robin Williams and about rumors he and Ben Affleck were gay:
It’s just like any piece of gossip… and it put us in a weird position of having to answer, you know what I mean? Which was then really deeply offensive. I don’t want to, like [imply] it’s some sort of disease—then it’s like I’m throwing my friends under the bus. But at the time, I remember thinking and saying, Rupert Everett was openly gay and this guy—more handsome than anybody, a classically trained actor—it’s tough to make the argument that he didn’t take a hit for being out. I think it must be really hard for actors to be out publicly. But in terms of actors, I think you’re a better actor the less people know about you period. And sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether you’re straight or gay, people shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.
Apologizes for diversity remarks
Damon apologizes for his comments on diversity:
I believe deeply that there need to be more diverse filmmakers making movies. I love making movies. It’s what I have chosen to do with my life and I want every young person watching Project Greenlight to believe that filmmaking is a viable form of creative expression for them too. My comments were part of a much broader conversation about diversity in Hollywood and the fundamental nature of Project Greenlight which did not make the show. I am sorry that they offended some people, but, at the very least, I am happy that they started a conversation about diversity in Hollywood. That is an ongoing conversation that we all should be having
Diversity comments
In the season four premiere of Project Greenlight, Damon and Brown are among a number of producers discussing which finalist would win the contest and go on to direct the chosen script for the season. Brown wants directing team Leo Angelos & Kristen Brancaccio (an Asian man and white woman), in part because Brancaccio flagged the stereotypical aspects of the only black character in the script. Brown:
I want to urge people to think about, whoever this director is, the way that they’re going to treat the character of Harmony, her being a prostitute — the only black person being a hooker who gets hit by her white pimp. You’re looking at this group right here, and who you’re picking, and the story that you’re doing, and I just want to make sure we’re doing our best —
Damon:
The only team that’s left with diversity is the team that announced that they liked this script the most as it is, and that’s Leo and Kristen. Everyone else had major problems with it, with exactly the things that you’re bringing up, and exactly the things that we brought up to each other. I think on the surface, they might look like one thing, but they might end up giving us something that we don’t want. And when we’re talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show (italics added).
Brown:
Wow, okay.
Tavis Smiley interview
Damon discusses his latest project, Promised Land, co-written by, co-produced by, and starring himself, in this interview for PBS. On natural gas drilling in the United States:
Well, leaving the film out of it, it’s a very divisive issue and people feel very strongly one way or another. So for us, we wanted to make this movie about where we are in America right now, so it was really the perfect issue to use as a backdrop for that, to explore those themes, because the film covers where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we’re going, and what happens when big money collides with real people.
Elle Magazine interview
Damon gives an interview to Elle about how changing his bad boy attitude helped his career.
The minute people started saying, “He’s the all-American guy,” my career got interesting. It liberated me. Instantly it was an image directors could f-ck with.
Supports Walker recall
ThinkProgress asks Damon if he supports efforts to recall Walker because of his school budget cuts:
among other things, yeah.
Men’s Health covers
Blunt and Damon appear on the cover of the April 2011 issue of Men’s Health Ukraine and Men’s Health Russia magazine.
People cover
Damon appears on the cover of People because he was listed as the sexiest man alive.
You gave an aging suburban dad the ego boost of a lifetime.