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Matt Damon Says People Who Claim His Film Is Whitewashed Are Undermining Their Own Credibility

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 20:22 PST, Dec 15, 2016

Matt Damon has been widely criticized of “whitewashing” for his new film The Great Wall, according to the Business Insider. The Martian actor, who turned 46-years-old earlier this year, thinks it’s “a f***ing bummer” that people accuse him of whitewashing his film.

When Matt Damon showed up at the New York Comic-Con to promote his upcoming film The Great Wall, which was directed by visionary Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, the audience made sure to ask the Oscar-winning actor about the claims of whitewashing.

And apparently, Matt Damon is well aware of that controversy that originated on the Internet after the first teaser for The Great Wall was released a few months ago. And the Good Will Hunting actor thinks it’s “a f***ing bummer.”

Matt Damon, who plays a British soldier who fights monsters that want to destroy China’s Great Wall, insists that it’s rather irrational to criticize the film before even seeing it. While the world won’t see the film sooner than February, 2017, Damon still shared his thoughts on the controversy.

“From a marketing perspective, what’s a worse wipeout for a marketing team than to have that happen as a backlash against a teaser you put out?”

Matt Damon insists that the marketing team was trying to establish a few things in the minute-long teaser. The actor explains that the film was made by a famous Chinese director that the U.S. probably doesn’t know a thing about.

“It’s the Steven Spielberg of China, right? Don’t worry! They speak English in this movie. You hear my voice speaking English.”

Matt Damon also thinks that critics will change their minds about whitewashing once they actually see the whole film. The actor also admitted that he had watched the teaser multiple times in order to understand the criticism.

And Matt Damon assured viewers that if they still think they’ve seen any whitewashing involved in the film when they head to theaters in February next year, he will “listen to that with my whole heart.”

But Matt Damon says he’d be sincerely surprised if people still had that reaction after seeing The Great Wall.

“I will be genuinely shocked.”

The Martian actor also assures that as “a progressive person” he’s very sensitive to claims of whitewashing, which is why he does his best to listen to all criticism and respond accordingly. But Matt Damon thinks people are “undermining” their own credibility when they say something about the film without seeing it.

“You have to educate yourself about what it is before making your attack or your argument and then it’s easier to listen to from my side.”

The film, which was released in China today, has been referred to by the Australian Financial Review as the “first major Chinese-American co-production” which is expected to be the “new model for China-Hollywood collaboration.”

Matt Damon is keeping himself busy these days, according to The Wrap. Not only does the Oscar-winning actor has to defend his upcoming film from whitewashing criticism, but he also made a speech at the Producers Guild of America’s third annual Produced By: New York conference.

Matt Damon joined Chris Rock, Tina Fey, and many other recognizable Hollywood people at the conference, which took place in late October. The actor participated in a panel about Manchester by the Sea.

During the panel titled “360 Profile: Manchester by the Sea,” Matt Damon, as well as fellow producers that worked on the film, took the time to share secrets of the making of the film. Manchester by the Sea, which was produced by Matt Damon and hit theaters last month, tells the story about an uncle who has to take care of his teenage nephew after his father suddenly dies.

[Featured Image by Andy Wong/AP Images]

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