Matt Damon Says Preparing For His Role in Stillwater as a Trump Supporter Was ‘Eye-Opening’

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Matt Damon said the research he did to prepare for his role as a Trump supporter and oil rigger in the upcoming movie “Stillwater” was “really eye-opening.”

In the movie, Damon plays a father from Oklahoma who travels to France to help his estranged daughter, who is in prison for a murder she says she did not commit. The plotline is loosely based on the 2007 case of Amanda Knox, an American who was wrongfully convicted in Italy for the murder of her roommate.

At a news conference on Friday, Damon said he spent time with rig workers in Oklahoma as he was preparing for the role.

“Being invited into their homes, into a backyard barbecue, a guitar comes out and they start singing church songs. It’s a very specific place … and very different to where I grew up,” Damon said. “It was really eye-opening for me.”

Variety reported that Damon said some of the things he noticed included: “They all have goatees, the sunglasses. They’re not six-pack ab guys, but they’re strong.” He added that they wore jeans with fire retardant that “changes the way these guys walk.”

Damon also said that having children has helped him relate to the character, as he works to mend his relationship with his daughter.

“Since I’ve had kids I feel like everything is a lot more available in my job, emotionally speaking,” he said.

In the movie, Damon’s character reportedly reveals that lost his voting rights due to a prior felony, but says he would have voted for former President Donald Trump.

“They’re in the oil business, of course he voted for Trump,” Damon said. “These guys don’t apologize for who they are.”

Damon, a Democrat, has vocally criticized Trump in the past, including calling his response to the Charlottesville white supremacist attack “absolutely abhorrent.”

“Stillwater” is set to be released July 30, and features Damon along with Abigail Breslin and Camille Cottin.