Will They Ever Learn?
Modern Movie Actors with Obnoxious, Hateful Politics
By Dr. Tom Snyder
The problem with woke actors and actresses is that they alienate people who love to go to entertaining movie with appealing heroes and heroines.
In the 1970s, I knew many liberals and radicals who wouldn’t go to John Wayne movies because of his politics. However, the Duke loved America, as did most people in the United States back then, no matter what they actually thought about the Vietnam War and civil rights. He also played admirable heroic characters. So, his politics never got in the way of his popularity among the broad audience in America.
Sadly, however, several of today’s actors are not liberals, but radical leftists, or worse, and their vitriol for America and for their fellow Americans just turns off many people and many families with children.
As a result, not as many people today are showing up for some objectively good or entertaining movies because the studios producing and distributing them have picked actors to star in them who have offended half of the people who might go to see their movies.
A case in point (though we can’t be totally sure) is the recently released HUNGER GAMES prequel subtitled THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES.
THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES is not a great movie, but it’s well made and reasonable entertaining, with a message against tyranny that more conservative moviegoers may like.
However, the lead actress in the movie, Rachel Zegler, has made several woke comments about “transgender” pronouns and controversial comments about the fairy tale SNOW WHITE, including Disney’s 1937 cartoon. Zegler has filmed a new live action remake of the story, to be released in 2024. She generated controversy last year when Variety quoted her as saying:
“It’s no longer 1937. She’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love; she’s going to be dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true.”
Because of her comments, some parents with children and conservatives online have said they won’t be seeing the new SNOW WHITE remake nor the new HUNGER GAMES prequel. Since it’s been released on November 17 in the United States and Canada, the HUNGER GAMES movie has done a less-than-impressive $98 million at the domestic box office and a mere $56 million overseas.
Young actors today have not built up the kind of following that John Wayne established in the 1930s and 1940s that made him the Number One star in the 1950s. Maybe they should wait before they start making controversial social and political statements until they establish themselves as celebrities that the vast majority of moviegoers want to see on the big screen.
For example, Harrison Ford, Julia Roberts and Tom Cruise, for the most part, avoided such headlines in the early parts of their careers. In fact, despite controversy over his link to the Church of Scientology and his antics on OPRAH in 1995, Cruise had a huge hit with the patriotic movie TOP GUN: MAVERICK, a sequel to his most popular movie of the 1980s. And, Robert Downey, Jr. made a big comeback in the last 20 years by leaving aside politics and doing movies people really wanted to see, like SHERLOCK HOLMES and the IRON MAN and AVENGERS franchises.
So, leave the woke radical politics at home, folks. Especially if you don’t want to lose half or more than half of your potential audience.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
