Matt Damon and Julia Stiles started their press tour for the newest Jason Bourne movie and one of the questions they’ve been asked frequently is whether or not they’ve heard Lena Dunham’s attack on the movie’s poster and if they have a reaction to her.
For those who missed it, Dunham shared an image on Instagram, agreeing that the Jason Bourne ads take it too far with the presence of guns.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHxz8wtgu2o/
Most recently, Damon and Stiles sat down with E! News to share their reaction, and they were both tremendously classy in the face of a question that, frankly, isn’t their problem.
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Damon said, “I totally get it. I mean especially given what’s going on recently, and I get not wanting to see a picture of a gun right now, and I don’t blame her at all.”
Stiles followed up by saying, “Obviously there’s an incredible amount of violence going on in the world and in the United States right now that’s devastating, but this movie’s perspective is not one that glorifies or makes heroic the idea of being violent. In fact, it’s the opposite.”
And then Damon made the most important point, “I mean for the marketing purposes of Jason Bourne — I mean he is a guy who runs around with a gun, so it’s not gratuitous marketing.”
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Dunham is entitled to share her opinion on the matter. She can even rip down every poster she sees if she really wants to. But Damon and Stiles are not responsible for the marketing of the movie. Requiring them to answer to Dunham is just awkward and unnecessary — especially when her brand certainly has problematic elements.
All Damon and Stiles did was act in a movie that now they have to promote. It’s their livelihood. They can’t speak out against the way the movie is marketed and hope people protest the movie they’re trying to get people to go to.
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I think it’s time we all realize that Dunham, and others, don’t always have to be acknowledged. They can most certainly continue to speak their mind. And people can or cannot pay attention to what they say. But putting other celebrities in awkward situations because Dunham wants them to say something isn’t a trend we should continue.
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