Matt Damon has some strong opinions about diversity in Hollywood. Unfortunately, judging from the most recent episode of HBO's "Project Greenlight," they seem to be pretty damn misguided.
“Project Greenlight,” which Damon produces, is a reality show that grants one up-and-coming filmmaker the opportunity to helm a $3 million film. During Sunday's episode, in which filmmakers gathered to discuss the pre-selected script of the soon-to-be produced film, Damon rudely interrupted black filmmaker Effie Brown to mansplain the meaning of diversity to her.
"When we're talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show," he said.
Not only did he disrespect Brown by speaking over her, he also implied that diversity behind the camera was irrelevant. Brown, shocked by his remarks, said a condensed version of what many viewers were thinking: “Wow, OK.”
People on Twitter reacted swiftly, pointing out how insensitive his comments were and even starting a #Damonsplaining hashtag. Damon has since apologized for his comments, saying: "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." But the sentiments behind both his initial remarks and his apology, which reek of white privilege, are still worth critiquing and interrogating.
Damon's comments come off as especially tone-deaf when you consider the particular challenges actors and filmmakers of color face when trying to break into and make it in the industry.
The 2015 Hollywood Diversity report, released by UCLA earlier this year, shows that the diversity problem often begins with predominantly male, white gatekeepers -- like those who dominate the industry's top three talent agencies and major studios. In examining the demographics of executives at film studios, the study found that in 2013 94 percent of CEOs and/or chairs and 92 percent of senior management were white. At TV networks, 96 percent of chairs and/or CEOs and 93 percent of senior management were white. The study's authors wrote:
The talent agencies tell us they are in the business of selling to the networks and studios the kinds of packaged projects they demand. Networks and studios -- whose executive suites are almost exclusively white and male -- ironically suggest that packaged projects could be more inclusive were it not for overly narrow talent rosters.
The handful of well-respected, visible people of color who have excelled in Hollywood certainly send a powerful message through their presence alone. However, this doesn't change how limited that representation, both on-screen and behind-the-scenes, is. And this lack of off-camera representation impacts the way characters of color are treated in film and on TV.
The latter is precisely the point Brown tried to address on "Project Greenlight." She raised concerns about the way the one black c