Matt Damon Apologizes for His Offensive Comments About Diversity

Matt Damon has apologized after making controversial comments about diversity on an episode of his competition show Project Greenlight.

On the premiere of the show's fourth season, Damon objected to the suggestion by fellow producer Effie Brown that the directing team of Leo and Kristen, an Asian man and a white woman, would best address issues of diversity in a script in which the only black character is a prostitute. "When we're talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show," he replied.

In a statement, Damon apologized for the anger his words caused, but added that he was glad the debate with Brown has at least sparked a discussion about diversity in Hollywood. "I believe deeply that there need to be more diverse filmmakers making movies," he said. "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."

Shortly after the telecast, the hashtag #Damonsplaining trended.

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Video: Matt Damon under fire over Hollywood diversity comments