Ben Affleck, Matt Damon to adopt contract clause promoting diversity in deals

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck will include a contract clause meant to improve gender and racial diversity in films in production deals they plan to make through their company.

Their Pearl Street Films company will adopt the inclusion rider for all of its projects, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

“.@michaelb4jordan Thank you for always supporting broader representation in the industry,” the head of strategic outreach at the production company, Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni, tweeted Monday.

“On behalf of Pearl Street Films, Matt Damon, @BenAffleck, Jennifer Todd, Drew Vinton & I will be adopting the #InclusionRider for all of our projects moving forward.”

.@michaelb4jordan Thank you for always supporting broader representation in the industry. On behalf of Pearl Street Films, Matt Damon, @BenAffleck, Jennifer Todd, Drew Vinton & I will be adopting the #InclusionRider for all of our projects moving forward. https://t.co/ODit24D2Rb

— Fanshen (@fanshen) March 13, 2018

In a speech at the Oscars, Frances McDormand made mention of the inclusion rider.

“OK, look around everybody! Look around, ladies and gentlemen!” McDormand said. “Because we all have stories to tell and projects we need financed.”

“I have two words to leave with you tonight, ladies and gentlemen: inclusion rider,” she said.

An inclusion rider is a “contract clause for actors that would require filmmakers to meet diversity benchmarks in their cast and crew,” The New York Times reported.