Matt Damon has suggested that being openly gay in Hollywood could affect an actor's career. Citing Rupert Everett as an example, Matt said he believed that the actor could have been more successful if he had kept his sexuality private.
The topic arose when Matt discussed his role in Behind the Candlebra, in which he plays a gay man, in an interview with The Guardian. Asked whether he thought it was harder for actors to be openly gay in Hollywood, Matt replied: "I'm sure."
Matt Damon says actors should keep their sexuality private
He continued: "I remember thinking and saying, Rupert Everett was openly gay and this guy – more handsome than anybody, a classically trained actor – it's tough to make the argument that he didn't take a hit for being out."
The Martian star also revealed that both his and Ben Affleck's sexuality were called into question when they started working on Good Will Hunting together.
"When Ben [Affleck] and I first came on the scene there were rumours that we were gay because it was two guys who wrote a script together," Matt said. "It's just like any piece of gossip… and it put us in a weird position of having to answer, you know what I mean?"
Matt suggested Rupert Everett's career was affected by being openly gay
While Matt believes that attitudes are changing, the actor admitted he thinks it is best for actors and actresses to keep their private lives out of the public eye as much as possible.
"I think it must be really hard for actors to be out publicly," he explained. "But in terms of actors, I think you're a better actor the less people know about you period. And sexuality is a huge part of that.
"Whether you're straight or gay, people shouldn't know anything about your sexuality because that's one of the mysteries that you should be able to play."
The 44-year-old lives by his own rules and generally keeps his home life with wife Luciana and their four daughters private, joking that paparazzi don't even bother camping outside his Los Angeles home anymore because he never does anything newsworthy.
"You know, a guy who's happily married with four kids is not quite a story," Matt said. "And so they'll come back and they'll take an occasional picture… but it's kind of just updating the file."