Numerous prominent figures emerged in response to the awareness of Hollywood's whitewashing problem. Celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Angelina Jolie found themselves on the list of individuals who took on roles originally intended for minorities or different ethnicities. Even Matt Damon faced allegations of whitewashing following his involvement in the 2016 Chinese monster film, The Great Wall.
Upon viewing Zhang Yimou's The Great Wall, it becomes difficult to comprehend why Matt Damon was given such a significant role in the Chinese army. Constance Wu highlighted this issue by sharing a screenshot on Twitter and addressing Hollywood's whitewashing practices. Despite the film's tremendous success, raking in $335 million at the box office, Damon faced criticism and defended himself against these accusations during interviews.
Matt Damon Accused Of Whitewashing
Zhang Yimou, a renowned Chinese Fifth Generation filmmaker, rose to international fame with his film Raise the Red Lantern. However, his transition to big-budget productions like The Flowers of War and The Great Wall often involved the casting of white actors, resulting in severe backlash regarding Hollywood's whitewashing problem.
Yimou's epic monster movie, The Great Wall, released in 2016, garnered $335 million in box office revenue but faced substantial criticism for featuring Matt Damon in a prominent role within the Chinese army. Constance Wu called out the actor and the filmmakers on her social media post, bringing widespread attention to the issue. In response to the intense accusations, Matt Damon took the opportunity to address them during an interview.
“We have to stop perpetuating the racist myth that a only white man can save the world. It’s not based in actual fact. Our heroes don’t look like Matt Damon.”
“Think only a huge movie star can sell a movie? That that has NEVER been a total guarantee. Why not TRY to be better? If white actors are forgiven for having a box office failure once in a while, why can’t a POC sometimes have one?” Constance Wu tweeted.
