Matt Damon said he learned about Gwyneth Paltrow’s account of Harvey Weinstein from Ben Affleck—not from Paltrow herself. In a December 2017 interview, Damon said he had never spoken with Paltrow about it and described his understanding of the aftermath as his interpretation of what Affleck had told him.
What did Matt Damon say about Paltrow and Weinstein?
In an interview with Peter Travers for ABC News’ Popcorn With Peter Travers, Damon said: “I knew the story about Gwyneth from Ben.” He added, “I never talked to Gwyneth about it.”
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Damon went on to describe what he understood about the aftermath: “Ben told me … but I knew that … they had come to whatever, you know, agreement or understanding that they had come to, she had handled it. She was, you know, the first lady of Miramax. And he treated her incredibly respectfully.” The interview was recorded on December 12, 2017, and ABC published it on December 14; its transcript was edited for length and clarity. ABC News’ interview and transcript
What was firsthand—and what was not?
Damon explicitly attributed his information to Affleck. He said he had not spoken to Paltrow about the matter, so his account was not a firsthand description of what happened between her and Weinstein. His remark that Paltrow “had handled it” was Damon’s characterization of what he understood from Affleck, not a statement from Paltrow.
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ABC News had reported the same distinction in October 2017: Damon said Affleck told him about Paltrow’s account and that he had not spoken with her. ABC News’ October 2017 report The sources cited here do not provide a direct quotation from Paltrow about her experience.
How did Damon describe what he knew about Weinstein?
Damon had worked with Weinstein through Miramax’s production of Good Will Hunting. In the December interview, Damon described Weinstein as known to him as a bully and womanizer, adding, “that was the extent of what we knew.” These are Damon’s retrospective statements about his own knowledge; they do not establish what other people knew.
In a separate ABC News interview in October 2017, Damon also said he knew Weinstein was a bully and womanizer but did not think criminal sexual predation was occurring. ABC News’ October interview coverage
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened after Damon’s comments?
Damon’s December remarks about sexual misconduct drew criticism. In January 2018, he apologized for potentially causing people pain. TIME reported his statement: “I really wish I’d listened a lot more before I weighed in on this.” TIME’s January 2018 report That apology concerned the response to his broader comments; it does not change his account that his information about Paltrow came from Affleck.
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ABC News Australia also covered Damon’s comments on December 19, 2017, noting that his knowledge of Paltrow’s account came through Affleck. ABC News Australia’s report
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