After coming under fire for rudely whitesplaining diversity to esteemed female filmmaker Effie Brown during a sit-down about the new HBO reality series Project Greenlight, Matt Damon is apologizing for his approach. In an apology, via Vulture, the Oscar-winning actor said that he is sorry for offending some people, but is glad to have sparked a broader conversation about diversity in Hollywood.

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"I believe deeply that there need to be more diverse filmmakers making movies," he said. "...My comments were part of a much broader conversation about diversity in Hollywood and the fundamental nature of Project Greenlight which did not make the show. I am sorry that they offended some people, but, at the very least, I am happy that they started a conversation about diversity in Hollywood. That is an ongoing conversation that we all should be having."

In the video that has now gone viral, Brown made a suggestion that a more diverse group of directors be featured in the pool of candidates for the series. Damon, in response, firmly disagreed with her statement, saying, "When we're talking about diversity, you do it in the casting of the film, not in the casting of the show." Brown, visibly taken aback by his response, replied, "Wow. OK."

Watch the actor sound off about the Stand Your Ground law, Trayvon Martin and President Obama in the BET.com video below: 

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(Photos from Left: Walter McBride/FilmMagic, Byron Purvis/AdMedia/Corbis)