Matt Damon Lost His ‘Ocean’s 8’ Role Due to ‘Thoughtless and Sexist’ Comments
The Ocean’s Eleven franchise is one that has become wildly successful, spawning spinoffs and a wealth of auxiliary materials. The first film, itself a remake of a 1960 Rat Pack movie, was a star-studded romp. Starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, and several others, Ocean’s Eleven had audiences begging for more. And over the years, a couple of sequels were released. The 2018 spinoff film, Ocean’s 8, featured cameos from many Hollywood heavyweights. However, it was noticeably missing Damon’s character, after fans demanded that the big-name actor’s scene be cut from the finished flick.
Matt Damon had a featured role in ‘Ocean’s Eleven’
Damon’s role in Ocean’s Eleven was an important one. The actor, who was already a huge Hollywood star when the film debuted, played Linus Caldwell, a skilled pickpocket who is recruited by Clooney’s Danny Ocean to aid in his historic heist. Damon went on to reprise his role in the film’s very popular sequels, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen.
By the time 2018’s Ocean’s 8 was in production, Damon was an established part of the franchise’s universe. In fact, Damon, according to BuzzFeed, even filmed a cameo for the movie. But his role was ultimately left on the cutting-room floor.
Why was Matt Damon’s cameo in ‘Ocean’s 8’ cut from the film?
Damon’s cameo in Ocean’s 8 would have served as a link between the original franchise and the spinoff. Interestingly, Damon’s planned cameo was cut from Ocean’s 8 after Damon’s comments about Harvey Weinstein and the #MeToo movement made waves.
As reported by BuzzFeed, Damon gave a controversial interview where he condemned Weinstein, but claimed that not all claims of sexual abuse “belong in the same category” and that there was a “spectrum” of behavior. Damon’s comments caused widespread outrage. In the days after the interview, a fan petition circulated that demanded the actor’s role be cut from Ocean’s 8. The petition called Damon’s comments “thoughtless and sexist.”
What did Matt Damon say about his controversial comments?
The outrage surrounding Damon’s interview and subsequent removal from the film was so intense that the actor even made a statement. BuzzFeed reports that Damon said, “I really wish I’d listened a lot more before I weighed in on this. I don’t want to further anybody’s pain with anything that I do or say. So for that, I am really sorry.”
He went on to note, “A lot of those women are my dear friends, and I love them and respect them and support what they’re doing and want to be a part of that change…but I should get in the backseat and close my mouth for a while.”
Damon’s cameo was never reinstated into the heist film. But his career was able to bounce back successfully in the years that followed. Ultimately, the incident proved a blip on the radar for Damon, rather than a career-ending slip of the tongue. But for some, the interview still leaves a bad taste in the mouth of those who fought hard on behalf of the movement.
