If the time is not completely past when soap stars will weep on cue at images of babies with distended bellies, a new breed of celebrity advocate may be eclipsing them. Damon, for example, the all-action star of The Bourne Ultimatum, talks more like a UN delegate than a Hollywood A-lister.
Peace is possible in Darfur, he says, if the international community demands an immediate ceasefire and provides the peacekeepers that "they have talked about for months". He adds: "Once these conditions are in place and if the government of Sudan sticks to its agreements, we can finally talk about helping to rebuild the country and overcome the dreadful suffering and poverty in the region."
Marshall: He's the greatest. You can see how down to earth he is. He's so smart, he's a wonderful, wonderful actor. He's smart, he cares, he wants to give back. I can't say enough. He's just a great, great guy... There's no baloney here. He's a genuine, genuine, sincere human being and I love him.