Matt Damon calls Oscar campaigning 'completely backwards' while promoting 'The Rip'

"It seems completely backwards to me and odd," the actor said

Matt Damon has voiced strong opinions about the awards season campaign process, calling it “completely backwards” and expressing discomfort with the traditional push to promote films for Oscar recognition.

Speaking on Netflix’s Skip Intro podcast while promoting his new crime thriller The Rip, Damon — a multi‑Oscar nominee and Academy Award winner — didn’t hold back. When asked about awards season, he said, “Awards season. 100%,” and made clear where he stands on Oscar campaigning. “What I don’t like is this idea of campaigning,” he said. “It seems completely backwards to me and odd.”

Damon acknowledged that the practice exists to help films stand out in an increasingly crowded cultural landscape. “And maybe it’s good for movies, just having it all out there and gets the culture thinking and talking about movies. I hope that’s the case…” he said, pointing to the large volume of films competing for attention amid what he described as “so much noise.”

The comments come at a time when Damon finds himself in the midst of another awards season push, not just for The Rip but also for his role in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, an epic project set for release later this year. Despite his critique of campaigning, industry expectations mean he may still participate in promotional efforts.

Reflecting on the Nolan film, Damon said the experience of making The Odyssey was especially impactful. “Doing ‘The Odyssey’ this last year, it felt like my one chance in my life to make a David Lean movie, you know? That I was making the last big movie on film that I was ever going to get to make,” he said, underscoring his appreciation for the project’s scale and ambition.

Over his career, Damon has been no stranger to award recognition. He won an Oscar for co‑writing Good Will Hunting and received acting nominations for films such as Invictus and The Martian. He also contributed to the critical and awards success of Oppenheimer, which won Best Picture in 2024.

Damon’s remarks highlight a growing conversation within Hollywood about the value and impact of awards campaigning — balancing the desire for artistic recognition with skepticism about the promotional machinery that drives the season.