After a wave of allegations of sexual harassment and assault began pouring in against many powerful men in Hollywood, other actors have been asked to give their thoughts on the cultural reckoning. One of those actors was Matt Damon, who spoke with ABC News‘ Peter Travers about what Damon referred to as a “continuum” of behavior.
“I do believe that there’s a spectrum of behavior,” he said. “And we’re going to have to figure — you know, there’s a difference between, you know, patting someone on the butt and rape or child molestation, right? Both of those behaviors need to be confronted and eradicated without question, but they shouldn’t be conflated, right?”
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Of disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein specifically, Damon said, “I knew I wouldn’t want him married to anyone close to me.”
“But that was the extent of what we knew. I mean, and that wasn’t a surprise to anybody,” he continued. “So when you hear Harvey this, Harvey that — I mean, look at the guy. Of course he’s a womanizer.”
The internet immediately pounced on Damon’s words, slamming the actor for his comments and lack of understanding.
This Matt Damon interview is stunningly tone deaf and so insulting to every female colleague he’s ever worked with https://t.co/4Vpc8LdgPk
— Jessie Thompson (@jessiecath) December 15, 2017
Matt Damon, you know there’s a difference between having a thought and having a thought worthy of being voiced, right?
— Steph Kent 🕸 (@Stephanietely) December 15, 2017
Matt Damon’s been canceled since 2015. He’s moments away from talking to an empty chair at a GOP convention. Nobody cares what he says.
— Lexi Alexander (@Lexialex) December 15, 2017
I start to think maybe most men are learning about sexual harassment & assault? Then I read an interview with Matt Damon and realize oh, how terribly naive. Of course not https://t.co/9pgQmmjT9O
— Olivia Goldhill (@OliviaGoldhill) December 15, 2017
Some Twitter users also addressed past comments Damon has made, specifically in regards to the sexual assault allegations against actor Casey Affleck.
Matt Damon said re: Casey Affleck accusations “if it’s a friend of mine, I know the real story.”
Allow me to show you the NOPE.
— Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) December 15, 2017
For someone who claims to have absolutely no idea that any of this was going on, Matt Damon knows a lot about how settlements for silencing women work
— Jessie Thompson (@jessiecath) December 15, 2017
You know who doesn’t lie? Friends who are victims confiding to friends about their abusers. Guess what Matt Damon? Casey Affleck’s victims have friends. I’m one of them. Your friend is an abusive POS.
— LVLCaper (@thelvlcaper) December 15, 2017
Photo Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
