Great Wall's Zhang Yimou Speaks Out Over Matt Damon 'Whitewash' Controversy

Controversy erupted last week over the first pictures and trailer from new Matt Damon movie ‘The Great Wall’, with the director Zhang Yimou being accused of whitewashing.

Set 1000 years ago, it poses the notion that the Great Wall of China was built to keep out a monstrous creature, and features Damon heavily.

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But soon the clip was being called out for its use of a caucasian actor in the lead.

‘Fresh Off The Boat’ star Constance Wu was among the critics, accusing the film of ‘perpetuating the racist myth that only a white man can save the world’.

“Our heroes don’t look like Matt Damon,” she added.

Now Yimou, who helmed movies including ‘The House of Flying Daggers’, has broached the accusations.

In a statement issued to EW, he said: “In many ways The Great Wall is the opposite of what is being suggested.

“For the first time, a film deeply rooted in Chinese culture, with one of the largest Chinese casts ever assembled, is being made at tent pole scale for a world audience.

“I believe that is a trend that should be embraced by our industry. Our film is not about the construction of the Great Wall. Matt Damon is not playing a role that was originally conceived for a Chinese actor.

“The arrival of his character in our story is an important plot point. There are five major heroes in our story and he is one of them — the other four are all Chinese. The collective struggle and sacrifice of these heroes are the emotional heart of our film.

“As the director of over 20 Chinese language films and the Beijing Olympics, I have not and will not cast a film in a way that was untrue to my artistic vision. I hope when everyone sees the film and is armed with the facts they will agree.”

The film, which also stars Andy Lau, Jing Tian, Pedro Pascal and Willem Dafoe, is due out in December in China and February in the rest of the world.

Image credits: Universal/AP