Harvard-educated Matt Damon knows what he’s saying. The A-list actor is very careful with his words, understanding that his star power magnifies their reach and import. Damon often demonstrates this reach by using his star power to back noble causes like ending the world’s water crisis.
So it surprised some people when an actor so self-aware, in an interview with The Observer, seemed to be encouraging gay actors to remain in the closet. Damon later clarified his meaning in an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Damon was saying that with actors “whether you’re straight or gay, people shouldn’t know anything about your sexuality because that’s one of the mysteries…” DeGeneres gave Damon a platform and a pass, saying “I know you and I know you’re not that guy.” Damon, probably most famous as the very mysterious (even to himself) Jason Bourne, knows the value of mystery. He explained: “I’m just saying actors are more effective when they’re a mystery.” Damon walks the walk, too: you don’t read a lot about his private life and there’s certainly no reality show featuring Matt Damon’s family. (Even Clint Eastwood did that.) A lot of people don’t even know Matt Damon dropped out of Harvard.
