Matt Damon and Effie Brown, a black filmmaker, exchanged words at Sunday’s season premiere of “Project Greenlight,” an HBO series that follows a behind-the-scenes process of making a film with a group of first-time filmmakers competing to direct a feature film, according to the Huffington Post.
During a discussion about the film that Damon, Brown and the others are producing titled "Not Another Pretty Woman," Brown, who has worked on films like “Dear White People” and “Real Women Have Curves,” pointed out that the only black character in the entire script is a prostitute who gets slapped by a white pimp.
She did not suggest that the scene should be removed or the script should be changed but stated that the scene should be handled with care and that the other producers should consider choosing an ethnically diverse cast.
“When we talk about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not the casting of the show,” Damon interrupted. A shocked Brown replied, “Wow!” rolling her eyes, according to Gossip Cop.
What Damon meant to say was that they don’t need to hire diverse filmmakers if they’re casting ethnic actors in the film.
Damon later said in a confessional during the show, “I’m glad Effie flagged the issue of diversity for all of us.” But he argued that the person for the job be chosen based on “merit,” leaving “all other factors out of it.”
