Matt Damon Issues Public Apology For ‘Diversity’ Comment; Gets Twitter Rants

Matt Damon issued a public apology and would like to rectify alleged racist comments made on Sunday during the discussion with African American filmmaker Effie Brown who urges Damon to have more diversity in his HBO's Project Greenlight show.

"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," the Bourne Identity actor said as mentioned in BBC.

He went on to continue that the issue on diversity in filmmaking should be put in 'a broader conversation' in Hollywood and not just on the $3M-buget feature film.

"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."

The issue stem from a talk with the actor-director with African-American filmmaker Effie Brown on Sunday, NBC said.

Brown contested Damon's choice of a Black person taking the role of a prostitute pimped by a White man in his Green Light Project further saying that directors should be careful in handling their scripts.

She went on saying that, in the film project, the hooker role is the only role done by a Black and thus be changed to a woman with an Asian pimp.

Damon is said to interrupt Brown saying, "When we're talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show."

Brown simply said, "Wow."

After airing the conversation, the 44-year old actor was then criticized and made trending in social media with netizens starting the discussion using the hashtag #Damonsplaining, The Guardian reported.

"Matt Damon speaking over the only black person in the room so he can explain diversity to her is SO WHITE it hurts," a leading commenter wrote.

"To clarify, this is Matt Damon trying to school the producer of Dear White People on diversity in Hollywood. Irony overload."

HBO's Project Greenlight is based on the scripts which are later on subjected to judgement and scrutiny by a panel of judges. Whoever wins and gets the 'green light' is then awarded $3M for the show's budget.