Matt Damon, a white man, tried to school veteran producer Effie Brown in promoting diversity in film during the first episode of HBO's revamped "Project Greenlight," a reality series that lets one inexperienced filmmaker direct a $3 million feature.
"When we're talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show," Damon word-vomited onto his fellow panel members during the episode on Sunday night.
"Wow, OK," Brown responded.
Matt Damon speaking over the only black person in the room so he can explain diversity to her is SO WHITE it hurts pic.twitter.com/iaQStYZ0ij
"Project Greenlight" centers around a pre-chosen script, "Not Another Pretty Woman," a romantic comedy about a man who ends up marrying a black prostitute after getting left at the altar, Flavorwire reports. After choosing a director from a pool of contestants, a panel dominated by white bros -- including Damon and Ben Affleck -- guides him or her to success. In the first episode, the panel figures out who that director should be.
Brown, the sole black panel member, was concerned how the film might treat the black prostitute character, Harmony, who is abused by her white pimp. In a script seemingly chock-full of tired old tropes, Brown wanted to ensure the character would avoid stereotypes as much as possible. She suggested the directing team of Leo Kei Angelos, a Vietnamese man, and Kristen Brancaccio, a woman, might be able to treat Harmony with the most compassion, thus making a better movie.
Damon was quick to interrupt, to Brown's apparent shock. Recent headlines, of course, have made clear that diversity in Hollywood is a problem behind the camera as much as it is in front of it. While it's important to show audiences diverse actors, the voices shaping those actors' onscreen portrayal from behind the scenes are just as vital to telling stories from different points of view.
Damon's comments especially hit a nerve on social media, where people began using the hashtag #Damonsplaining to mock the actor-director's fearless opining.
Advertisement
"You see, successful black woman, diversity is whatever white, straight, men say it is." - Matt Damon, 2015. #Damonsplaining
Later in the episode, Damon Damonsplained that while "filmmaking should throw a broader net," that's not the aim of his show, which is "about giving somebody this job based entirely on merit."
The panel eventually chose Jason Mann, another white guy, to direct -- leaving the problem of diversity in Hollywood a little less mysterious.
HBO's Project Greenlight airs Sundays at 10pm EST.
Also on HuffPost:
Celebrities' Real Names
For a constant stream of entertainment news and discussion, follow HuffPost Entertainment on Viber.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.