25K Sign Petition Calling for Matt Damon's Removal From Ocean's 8

After the actor carelessly weighed in on the #MeToo movement, tens of thousands want him cut from the female-led Ocean's 8.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

December 24 2017 11:11 AM EST

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Matt Damon's habit of "Matt-splaining" cultural issues has once again got him into trouble -- now tens of thousands have signed a petition demanding his cameo in the female-led Ocean's 8 be cut.

Ocean's 8 stars Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, and Mindy Kaling, and features Damon reprising his Ocean's 11 character.

The care2 petition, which has over 25,000 signatures as of Sunday afternoon, highlights Damon's comments where he said he'd consider working with someone accused of sexual misconduct, making a decision on a "case-by-case" basis. Damon's point that there's a spectrum of harassment was seen as insensitive and criticized by stars like Cher, Alyssa Milano, Debra Messing, and his ex-girlfriend Minnie Driver.

The petition also mentions a 2004 New York Times profile of an Italian associate of Harvey Weinstein; a male producer who aided the film executive in his habitual abuse of women. The writer of the Times story, Sharon Waxman, said the story was initially intended to profile Weinstein's sex crimes, but Damon helped quash that angle. Damon denies he helped kill the investigative piece and Waxman later accepted his claim.

Still, Damon has sparked ire for many of his statements, including saying he sympathized with abused women because he had daughters. In 2015, he was filmed dismissing a black female producer who advocated for diversity on the reality show Project Greenlight. That same year, Damon also encouraged gay and bisexual actors to remain in the closet, but later walked back the comments.