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Project Greenlight Finalists Pushed Back Against
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 | 11:59AM PT
Variety Staff
Matt Damon’s comments on diversity during Sunday’s “Project Greenlight” premiere sparked controversy online, after it appeared as if the actor was dismissing a colleague’s concerns about the need for diverse hiring practices.
In a statement obtained by Variety, Damon apologized for causing offense, but noted that he was glad that the episode and his debate with fellow “Project Greenlight” producer Effie Brown could promote discussion about diversity in the industry.
Read Damon’s statement below:
“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.”
SEE MORE:Study: Film Still Mostly White, Straight and Male
In the season four premiere of “Project Greenlight,” Brown and Damon were among a number of producers who were attempting to decide which finalist would win the contest and go on to helm the chosen script for the season.
In a talking head segment, Brown (the only person of color in the group) admitted, “Diversity is very important to me; the films that I typically do are films about someone who’s outside of mainstream, and most times that’s women and people that are marginalized. A lot of times, growing up in the ’70s, there weren’t a lot of positive images of women and people of color, and that’s what I noticed growing up… we were gangsters, prostitutes, drug addicts, things of that nature. This is an opportunity where I can change that.”
While debating which finalist should be chosen to direct the film, Brown stumped for 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, Harmony.
SEE MORE:Report: Audiences Demand More Diversity in Film and TV
“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-” Brown began, before Damon interjected.
“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,” Damon pointed out. “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.”
Brown seemed visibly taken aback by Damon’s assessment, and responded, “Wow, okay.”
