Damon says criticism is baseless
BEIJING — Matt Damon criticized “outrageous” stories in the era of fake news as he responded today to accusations that his role in the new China-Hollywood co-production “The Great Wall” should have gone to an Asian actor.
Some critics have said Damon’s casting as the lead character amounted to “whitewashing,” in which Caucasians are chosen for roles that actors of other ethnicities should play.
The American actor said he thinks of the term “whitewashing” as applying to Caucasian actors putting on makeup to appear to be of another race, as was common in the early days of film and television, when racism was overt.
Damon, 46, plays an English mercenary in the upcoming $150 million adventure fantasy about a Chinese army battling monsters, helmed by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou.
The movie’s trailer sparked criticism in the U.S. that a white man had been chosen to play the lead in a film set in China meant to showcase Chinese culture.
Damon questioned whether the critical stories on online news sites based on “a 30-second teaser trailer” would have existed before the era of fake news and headlines designed to make people click on them.
People fall for outrageous headlines, but “eventually you stop clicking on some of those more outrageous things because you just realize there is nothing to the story when you get to it,” Damon said.
“The Great Wall” is the first movie made by Legendary East, the Chinese venture of Legendary Entertainment, a Hollywood studio now owned by Chinese real estate and theater chain developer Wanda Group.
Damon and Zhang said that because of the demands of the story, Damon’s role — a mercenary who comes to China to steal gunpowder — was always intended to be European.
Damon said he thought the criticism over his casting would subside “once people see that it’s a monster movie and it’s a historical fantasy and I didn’t take a role away from a Chinese actor ... it wasn’t altered because of me in any way.”
The film debuts in Chinese cinemas on Dec. 16 followed by other countries, including the United States in February.
