At the premiere of his latest film, Hollywood star Matt Damon explained why he appeared in the infamous advertisement for Crypto.com titled “Fortune Favors the Brave.” The ad, which featured Damon alongside historical figures such as the Wright brothers and Sir Edmund Hillary, was released just before the crypto markets crashed in 2021 and received widespread mockery. Damon revealed that he did the commercial to raise funds for his clean water initiative, Water.org, which was in a dire financial situation at the time.
Damon founded Water.org in 2009 to provide small loans for the installation of water taps and toilets globally. Crypto.com heard about the initiative and donated $1 million to Water.org, for which Damon expressed gratitude. Despite the backlash, Damon remains committed to his philanthropic efforts.