Damage control!

Matt Damon caused an uproar when his words were taken out of context and it appeared he suggested that gay actors stay in the closet in an interview with The Guardian, so the actor sat down with Ellen Degeneres to clarify his stance on sexuality in Hollywood.

"I was just trying to say actors are more effective when they’re a mystery. Right? And somebody picked it up and said I said gay actors should get back in the closet. Which is like I mean it’s stupid, but it is painful when things get said that you don’t believe. You know what I mean? And then it gets represented that that’s what you believe. Because in the blogosphere there’s no real penalty for just taking the ball and running with it," he lamented to the talk show host.

In case you missed it, The Martian star opened a dialogue about being homosexual in the movie industry while addressing the gay rumors that plagued him and pal Ben Affleck earlier in their career. Specifically, he pointed to talented British actor Rupert Everett as an example of how revealing your sexual orientation can harm your career trajectory.

"At the time, 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. I think it must be really hard for actors to be out publicly. 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," he was quoted as saying.

After absorbing his explanation, we see the point he was trying to make!