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Matt Damon and Julia Stiles React to Lena Dunham's Jason Bourne Gun Poster Protest

Jason Bourne stars weigh in on the Girls star's issue

By Francesca Bacardi Jul 19, 2016 8:36 PMTags
Watch: Matt Damon Responds to Lena Dunham's Gun Criticism

Matt Damon and Julia Stiles understand why people would be upset by the presence of guns in the Jason Bourne movie posters, but they don't think they should be changed. The actors, who star in another installment of the Bourne franchise, caught up with E! News' Maria Menounos in Las Vegas and explained why they think the guns should stay.

"I totally get it. I mean especially given what's going on recently, and I get not wanting to see a picture of a gun right now, and I don't blame her at all," Damon says. "I mean for the marketing purposes of Jason Bourne—I mean he is a guy who runs around with a gun, so it's not gratuitous marketing, but certainly in light of recent events I understand that impulse to want to tear the gun out of the picture."

Stiles echoes Damon's sentiments, but also notes that Damon's onscreen persona, titular Jason Bourne, doesn't promote violence even though he has to use it. "Obviously there's an incredible amount of violence going on in the world and in the United States right now that's devastating, but this movie's perspective is not one that glorifies or makes heroic the idea of being violent," Stiles tells Menonous. "In fact, it's the opposite." 

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Matt Damon: Movie Star
Watch: Julia Stiles Reacts to Lena Dunham's Gun Protest

She further explains, "The main character, Jason Bourne, is very much struggling with his own conscience, and the reason that he's been tortured throughout the whole series is because he regrets having to kill people for what he thought was a good cause. I feel like it promotes the idea of questioning violence and questioning your government."

Dunham's guns-on-posters protest actually began with producer Tami Sagher who proposed removing images of the gun that the titular character wields from the poster. Dunham, who is passionate about gun control awareness, captioned his picture, "Good idea @tulipbone! Let's go!"

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Watch: Matt Damon Talks Return to "Jason Bourne" After 10 Years

In addition to responding to Dunham's protest, Damon also opens up about his intense training to get back into fighting shape, as well as what his wife thought about his buffer bod. "She was cool with it," Damon jokes. "When I met her I was pretty doughy, so I think I had her sold on the doughy version." His fitter body must be an added perk LOL!

Stiles also addresses the crazy stunts in the movie, and how she actually ended up getting more hurt off screen than on, so watch the videos to hear what these two have to say about their wild times on set.

Jason Bourne hits theaters July 29, 2016.

(E! and Universal Pictures are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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