

Still several months out from its February 2017 U.S. release, the Zhang Yimou-directed “The Great Wall” has once again made headlines for its alleged “whitewashing” of a Chinese story. At a press conference for the movie at New York Comic-Con on Oct. 8, the film’s star, Matt Damon, responded to criticisms by expressing his surprise at the controversy.
“I had a few reactions. I was surprised, I guess, because it was based on a teaser, it wasn’t even a full trailer, let alone a movie,” Damon explained, according to ComingSoon.net. “I was like, ‘Really, guys?’ To me, whitewashing was when Chuck Connors played Geronimo. There are far more nuanced versions of it and I do try to be sensitive to that.”
To illustrate the point, Damon referenced a conversation he had with co-star Pedro Pascal after the allegations came out.
“Pedro Pascal called me and goes, ‘Yeah, we are guilty of whitewashing. We all know only the Chinese defended the wall against the monster attack!'” Still, the actor went on to explain, “…it was nice to react a little sarcastically because we were wounded by it. We do take that seriously.”
To conclude, Damon promised that he would sincerely consider the criticism if audiences still felt wronged after seeing the film in its entirety.
“Ultimately where I came down to was, if people see this movie and there is somehow whitewashing involved in a creature feature that we made up, then I will listen to that with my whole heart. I will think about that and try to learn from that. I will be surprised if people see this movie and have that reaction,” the star said.
The film, which also features actors Jing Tian, Willem Dafoe and Andy Lau, will be released in China in December.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses