The U.S. presidential election has concluded, and Republican candidate Donald Trump is set to take office in the White House for a second time. Prominent Hollywood figures who have historically supported the Democratic Party were quick to express their strong disappointment and anger on social media.
Jamie Lee Curtis, who won an Oscar for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, wrote a lengthy post on her personal social media, lamenting that for minorities and vulnerable groups in America, "the era of more restrictions, greater severity, and fear is back." However, she also urged Democratic supporters not to lose hope, stating, "Now is the time for us to truly awaken and continue the fight—for women, our children, and their future—against tyranny, to live in the moment, and to move forward cautiously; this is the essence of what it means to be an American."
Jamie Lee Curtis encourages Democratic supporters not to lose heart
Christina Applegate, who once portrayed a president in Dead to Me, expressed that Trump's reelection would have troubling negative effects for women in America. She repeatedly asked, "Why? Why vote for him? Give me your reasons! My daughter is crying right now because her rights as a woman may be stripped away. Why is this happening?"
Billie Eilish, a two-time Oscar-winning singer-songwriter, also shared a similar sentiment on social media, calling Trump's victory "a war against women."
Prominent actor John Cusack voiced his frustration on social media, stating, "Our country has voted a convicted rapist and Nazi into the presidency; this is self-sabotage, representing a form of extreme nihilism."
Director Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie and director of Moon, shared his profound pessimism upon seeing millions of Americans voting for Trump: "I think we may have overestimated the goodness of humanity."
Of course, there are those who have reflected on their failures, albeit few, including Adam McKay, director of films like The Big Short and Don't Look Up. Though a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party, he expressed dissatisfaction with their performance over the past year, even writing on his personal account, "It's time to abandon the Democratic Party; I'm registering to join the Green Party or the Labor Party."
Director Adam McKay points out the reasons behind the Democratic Party's defeat
Earlier, he harshly criticized the Democratic Party's campaign strategy, stating, "Who would have thought they lied about Biden's cognitive health for two years? They also refused to hold a public election for a new nominee; throughout the campaign, they hardly mentioned public healthcare policies; they supported fracking, and endorsed nearly a year of massacring children in Gaza; so, it’s time to abandon the Democratic Party."
However, some celebrities lost their composure during this time, writing words that angered many, such as rapper Cardi B. Just days ago, referred to affectionately by Chinese fans as "Sister Cardi," she was campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris but appears to be unable to accept the loss and has spiraled emotionally. On her personal social media account, she posted a video ridiculing Republican voters from Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and North Carolina, saying, "Why do hurricanes hit your states? This is why!" Although she quickly deleted the video minutes later, it still drew considerable criticism.
Singer Cardi B posts on social media, expressing her struggle to accept the outcome
Wendell Pierce, a Black actor known for his role in the iconic TV series The Wire, acknowledged Harris's efforts in her campaign, suggesting she still deserves respect despite her loss. He criticized Trump's "racism and misogyny," particularly emphasizing that it was white men and women in America who elected Trump to the White House, hence the Democratic defeat should not be blamed on Black, Arab-American, or Latino voters. Oscar winner Viola Davis, also Black, expressed her gratitude for Harris’s contributions, stating, "Now and forever, I will be proud of you."
Additionally, writers Stephen King, Mark Hamill (who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars series), actress Kerry Washington, and Kevin McHale from the TV show Glee also expressed their disappointment on social media. Meanwhile, actress and singer Bette Midler and Jeffrey Wright, who starred in Westworld, deleted their social media accounts altogether following Trump’s victory, with Wright stating in his "exit note," "I was actually considering leaving social media the day before the election; there hasn’t been a single positive thing here, but maybe it never was. In fact, social media used to be fun; at least sometimes it was a portal of information. Now it’s just anger, division, and childishness..."
In contrast, there are very few Hollywood celebrities who openly support the Republican Party, and even those are not particularly active on social media. For now, only Zachary Levi, the star of the Shazam! series, specifically replied to a critic who tagged him after Trump's victory, saying, "The only thing comforting about this moment is that from now on, you'll forever be excluded from the Hollywood mainstream; just wait to make films with Mel Gibson and Dennis Quaid."
To this, Levi responded boldly: "I don't mind; I was already thinking of leaving this industry one day. I want to build a better system, one that truly values artists and rewards them, rather than just fattening up those film executives. These executives compromise the integrity of artistic creation while pocketing most of the profits, profits that they do not deserve."
Zachary Levi responds to a netizen's sarcasm in support of Trump
