Matt Damon wears ICE protest pin at The Rip premiere, sparks red carpet debate
TOI GLOBAL | Jan 14, 2026, 20:18 IST
Matt Damon used the red carpet at the premiere of his Netflix film The Rip to spotlight growing concerns over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, wearing a “BE GOOD” pin tied to recent deadly shootings involving ICE officers. The gesture aligns Damon with other Hollywood figures who have quietly protested during awards season, turning film events into platforms for broader social and political debate as tensions over immigration enforcement continue to rise.
Matt Damon brought a message of quiet protest to the red carpet Tuesday night, wearing a pin condemning recent deadly shootings involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers at the premiere of his upcoming Netflix film, The Rip.
The Oscar-winning actor, who stars alongside longtime collaborator Ben Affleck, wore a pin reading “BE GOOD,” part of a small but visible display of protest against the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Keith Porter earlier this month. Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, while Porter was killed by an off-duty ICE agent in Southern California on New Year’s Eve.
The pins, which also include versions reading “ICE OUT,” were created by a grassroots coalition that includes the American Civil Liberties Union and have been worn by several high-profile celebrities during awards season, including Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes and Jean Smart at the Golden Globe Awards.
“I think like millions of people around the country, we’re really concerned with what’s going on,” Damon told reporters at the premiere. “It’s about raising awareness about what’s happening in our cities and on our streets, and hopefully promoting a larger discussion.”
Damon, 55, stopped short of naming specific political figures or policies, but his appearance comes amid escalating national debate over ICE enforcement tactics and the federal government’s response to public outcry following the shootings. President Donald Trump has defended ICE operations while promising what he described as “reckoning and retribution” against jurisdictions opposing expanded immigration enforcement.
The actor’s stance mirrors comments made earlier this week by Ruffalo, who called the death of Good a “murder” and harshly criticized Trump during interviews on the Golden Globes red carpet. Other Hollywood figures have echoed similar sentiments, though not all agree that awards-season protests are appropriate venues for political expression.
Comedian Bill Maher, nominated at the Globes this year, criticized celebrity activism on the red carpet, saying that while the deaths were tragic, symbolic gestures were unnecessary.
Damon, however, has long been associated with advocacy beyond film. He is the co-founder of Water.org, a nonprofit focused on global access to clean water and sanitation, and serves alongside Affleck on the entertainment council for Feeding America, which addresses food insecurity in the United States.
In The Rip, Damon and Affleck also serve as producers through their joint production company, Artists Equity. The crime thriller marks another major collaboration for the pair, whose partnership spans decades both on-screen and behind the camera.
While Damon kept the focus on the film at the premiere, his choice of accessory ensured that the conversation extended beyond Hollywood underscoring how awards season continues to intersect with America’s broader political and social tensions.
The Oscar-winning actor, who stars alongside longtime collaborator Ben Affleck, wore a pin reading “BE GOOD,” part of a small but visible display of protest against the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Keith Porter earlier this month. Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7, while Porter was killed by an off-duty ICE agent in Southern California on New Year’s Eve.
The pins, which also include versions reading “ICE OUT,” were created by a grassroots coalition that includes the American Civil Liberties Union and have been worn by several high-profile celebrities during awards season, including Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes and Jean Smart at the Golden Globe Awards.
“I think like millions of people around the country, we’re really concerned with what’s going on,” Damon told reporters at the premiere. “It’s about raising awareness about what’s happening in our cities and on our streets, and hopefully promoting a larger discussion.”
Damon, 55, stopped short of naming specific political figures or policies, but his appearance comes amid escalating national debate over ICE enforcement tactics and the federal government’s response to public outcry following the shootings. President Donald Trump has defended ICE operations while promising what he described as “reckoning and retribution” against jurisdictions opposing expanded immigration enforcement.
The actor’s stance mirrors comments made earlier this week by Ruffalo, who called the death of Good a “murder” and harshly criticized Trump during interviews on the Golden Globes red carpet. Other Hollywood figures have echoed similar sentiments, though not all agree that awards-season protests are appropriate venues for political expression.
Comedian Bill Maher, nominated at the Globes this year, criticized celebrity activism on the red carpet, saying that while the deaths were tragic, symbolic gestures were unnecessary.
Damon, however, has long been associated with advocacy beyond film. He is the co-founder of Water.org, a nonprofit focused on global access to clean water and sanitation, and serves alongside Affleck on the entertainment council for Feeding America, which addresses food insecurity in the United States.
In The Rip, Damon and Affleck also serve as producers through their joint production company, Artists Equity. The crime thriller marks another major collaboration for the pair, whose partnership spans decades both on-screen and behind the camera.
While Damon kept the focus on the film at the premiere, his choice of accessory ensured that the conversation extended beyond Hollywood underscoring how awards season continues to intersect with America’s broader political and social tensions.