There has been a public backlash against a clip showing Matt Damon interrupting film and TV producer Effie Brown (Dear White People, But I'm a Cheerleader) who was speaking about the importance of diversity in movies.
The scene is from HBO reality TV show Project Greenlight, which is hosted by Damon and Ben Affleck. The show gives first-time filmmakers the chance to make a movie.
For this new season, a decade after the show last screened, the show's producers have already chosen the script for the film.
In the short clip, Brown says whoever will direct the script will have to seriously think about and understand the representations of race in the film.
She takes issue with the characterisations saying, "The only black person being a hooker who is hit by her white pimp."
With Brown suggesting it would be best to choose a person of colour as director, Damon interrupts her: "We're talking about diversity, you do that in the casting of the film not in the casting of the show."
You can watch the clip, and Brown's response, in the tweet below.
The reactions of people on social media site Twitter have been just as damning.
According to Jezebel, in a later interview Damon said: “I’m glad Effie flagged the issue of diversity for all of us.”
