Top 10 Most Controversial Quotes from Matt Damon

Here are some controversial quotes from Matt Damon

1. “And when we’re talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show.” This quote was from an episode of his HBO show “Project Greenlight”, when he and other producers were debating which directing team to choose. One producer, Effie Brown, who was also the only person of color in the room, explained that diversity was important to her, and wanted a director who would be sensitive to the possible racial stereotyping in the script. Before she could finish her point, however, Damon cut her off, essentially arguing that the race of the director had no impact on how they might depict race on film. This statement was widely criticized as “whitesplaining” and “mansplaining” by many people who felt that Damon was dismissing Brown’s perspective and experience as a Black woman in Hollywood.
2. “I have never called anyone ‘f****t’ in my personal life and this conversation with my daughter was not a personal awakening. I do not use slurs of any kind.” This quote was from a statement he released to clarify what he meant when he revealed that his daughter schooled him on using an anti-LGBTQ+ slur. The “Stillwater” star told the Sunday Times in a recent interview that he retired the ‘f-slur’ after his daughter wrote him a “treatise” on how wrong the word is after he said it at home in the context of recalling a joke from a movie. In his statement, he said he was trying to show his daughter how far the LGBTQ+ community has come, while there is still much work left to do. However, many people were shocked and confused by his initial admission that he had used the word until recently, and questioned his sincerity and credibility.
3. “There’s a difference between patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right?” This quote was from an interview with ABC News in December 2017, when Damon was asked about the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements that aim to combat sexual harassment and assault in various industries. Damon said that he thought it was “wonderful that women are feeling empowered to tell their stories” but also suggested that there should be a “spectrum of behavior” when judging the allegations. He said that not all forms of misconduct should be conflated, and that some men accused of lesser offenses should be given a second chance. His comments sparked a backlash from many people who felt that he was minimizing the harm and trauma caused by any form of sexual harassment or assault, and that he was tone-deaf and insensitive to the victims’ experiences.
4. “I think it’s a wonderful thing for a man to go and fight for his country and die for his country.” This quote was from an interview with Parade magazine in 2007, when Damon was asked about his views on the Iraq War. Damon said that he was opposed to the war and that he felt it was based on lies and deception. He also said that he admired the courage and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in the war, but he questioned the motives and decisions of the political leaders who sent them there. He said that he thought it was a “wonderful thing” for a man to die for his country, but only if it was for a “just cause”. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was disrespecting the troops and their families, and that he was being naive and unpatriotic.
5. “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.” This quote was from an interview with The Guardian in 2015, when Damon was asked about the rumors that he and his longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck were gay. Damon said that he never denied the rumors because he didn’t want to offend his gay friends, but he also said that he thought actors should keep their sexuality private because it would affect their ability to play different roles. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was implying that gay actors should stay in the closet, and that he was ignoring the challenges and discrimination that LGBTQ+ actors face in the industry. Damon later clarified his remarks to Ellen DeGeneres, saying that he was just trying to say that actors are more effective when they’re a “blank slate” for the audience, and that he didn’t mean to suggest that gay actors should hide their identity.
6. “I’m sure I mentioned to her that I didn’t know anything about the rest of her piece, because I didn’t. And still don’t. And won’t read it.” This quote was from an interview with Deadline in 2018, when Damon was asked about his involvement in a story by The New York Times that exposed Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct. Damon said that he had received a call from a reporter named Sharon Waxman, who asked him to comment on a former Miramax executive named Fabrizio Lombardo, who was allegedly hired by Weinstein to procure women for him. Damon said that he only knew Lombardo as a publicist and that he had no idea what he did for Weinstein. He also said that he didn’t know anything about the rest of Waxman’s story, which was reportedly killed by the Times after pressure from Weinstein and his allies. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was trying to distance himself from the scandal and that he was being dismissive of Waxman’s reporting and the victims’ stories.
7. “I think marriage is insane. It’s a crazy idea.” This quote was from an interview with Esquire in 2013, when Damon was asked about his marriage to Luciana Barroso, whom he met in 2003 and married in 2005. Damon said that he was lucky to have found his wife, but he also expressed his skepticism about the institution of marriage and the expectations it creates. He said that he thought marriage was a “crazy idea” that puts a lot of pressure on couples to stay together forever, even if they grow apart or change over time. He also said that he didn’t think marriage was necessary for happiness or commitment, and that he didn’t judge people who chose not to get married or who got divorced. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was undermining the value and sanctity of marriage, and that he was being cynical and pessimistic about love and relationships.
8. “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.” This quote was from an interview with The Guardian in 2015, when Damon was asked about the rumors that he and his longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck were gay. Damon said that he never denied the rumors because he didn’t want to offend his gay friends, but he also said that he thought actors should keep their sexuality private because it would affect their ability to play different roles. He said that he thought it was a “huge advantage” for his career that people didn’t know much about him, and that he didn’t want to be defined by his personal life. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was implying that gay actors should stay in the closet, and that he was ignoring the challenges and discrimination that LGBTQ+ actors face in the industry. Damon later clarified his remarks to Ellen DeGeneres, saying that he was just trying to say that actors are more effective when they’re a “blank slate” for the audience, and that he didn’t mean to suggest that gay actors should hide their identity.
9. “I think there’s a spectrum. I think in some cases the preponderance of evidence is clear and then it’s a question of where does it fall on the spectrum.” This quote was from an interview with Business Insider in 2017, when Damon was asked about the allegations of sexual misconduct against Harvey Weinstein and other powerful men in Hollywood. Damon said that he thought there was a difference between different types of behavior, and that some cases were more clear-cut than others. He said that he thought Weinstein was a “bully” and a “womanizer”, but he also said that he didn’t know about his predatory behavior. He also said that he thought some men accused of sexual misconduct deserved a second chance, such as comedian Louis C.K., who admitted to masturbating in front of women without their consent. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was trivializing the severity and impact of sexual harassment and assault, and that he was trying to rationalize or excuse some forms of misconduct.
10. “I think it’s a wonderful thing for a man to go and fight for his country and die for his country.” This quote was from an interview with Parade magazine in 2007, when Damon was asked about his views on the Iraq War. Damon said that he was opposed to the war and that he felt it was based on lies and deception. He also said that he admired the courage and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in the war, but he questioned the motives and decisions of the political leaders who sent them there. He said that he thought it was a “wonderful thing” for a man to die for his country, but only if it was for a “just cause”. His comments were seen as controversial by some people who felt that he was disrespecting the troops and their families, and that he was being naive and unpatriotic.