Hollywood star Matt Damon has finally opened up about why he appeared in cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com's infamous "Fortune Favors the Brave" ad, which was once the subject of merciless ridicule.
In an interview with The Associated Press at the premiere of his new movie on March 27, Damon appeared awkward when explaining why he was in the ad. He said this was largely due to the poor financial health of his clean water initiative, Water.org, explaining: “We had a down year at Water.org, and I did that ad to try and raise money for Water.org.”
Damon founded the Clean Water Project in 2009 with engineer and philanthropist Gary White. It aims to increase access to clean water globally by providing microloans to finance the purchase and installation of taps and toilets. Damon explained that he once donated his entire salary to Water.org because it was in dire financial shape.
The Hollywood icon went on to say “Crypto.com heard about it and they gave Water.org $1 million themselves,” before adding: "I am very grateful to them for everything they have done for our foundation." Released in October 2021, the ad stars Damon in a digital landscape of historical figures including the Wright Brothers and Sir Edmund Hillary. It has appeared on billboards and TV commercials worldwide.
The ad was widely panned following a dire 2022 year for cryptocurrencies, and Damon has since been the butt of countless jokes, from the TV show South Park to late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert. People's jokes.
