“The Martian” star Matt Damon is courting controversy again with a new statement suggesting gay actors should stay in the closet.
“I think you’re a better actor the less people know about you period. And sexuality is a huge part of that,” the actor said in a recent interview with The Guardian. “Whether you’re straight or gay, people shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries that you should be able to play.”
The actor, who starred as Liberace’s gay lover in the 2013 HBO film “Behind the Candelabra,” also said that when he first entered the industry with Ben Affleck, they faced rumors that they were a gay couple because they were “two guys who wrote a script together.”
“I remember thinking and saying, Rupert Everett was openly gay and this guy — more handsome than anybody, a classically trained actor — it’s tough to make the argument that he didn’t take a hit for being out,” Damon said.
“The Martian” star raised controversy earlier this month with comments regarding diversity in filmmaking on his HBO reality series “Project Greenlight.”
During the episode, Damon and his fellow producers — including Ben Affleck, the Farrelly brothers and “Dear White People” producer Effie Brown — debated the directing finalists they had to choose from, with Damon arguing that racial diversity should not be a factor.
“When we’re talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show,” he said.
The hashtag #Damonsplaining soon began trending on social media, with many users criticizing the white actor for trying to explain to a black director the best way to handle diversity.