Stars To Re-enact U.s. History

A number of celebrities are teaming up with TV network The History Channel to film dramatic performances for The People Speak, which will shed light on how the country's democracy was shaped by ordinary Americans.

Damon will appear in a vignette about John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath, while Tomei will play factory worker Harriet Hanson Robinson.

These clips will be aired together with actual interviews and archival footage.

Damon says, "I am a firm believer in this project, proud to be part of it and proud that we are working jointly with History. The message that is so critical to disseminate is that change doesn't come from the top, but rather from the bottom, and that without everyday citizens pushing to make a difference, there would be no America."