The Italian journalist under fire online for a controversial #MeToo and Black Lives Matter question at the Venice Film Festival is now defending herself.
Federica Polidoro sat down with “After the Hunt” stars Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri for an interview to promote the project. One moment from the conversation, posted to the ArtsLifeTV YouTube channel, has gone viral, with critics accusing Polidoro of being “racist” for directing one of her questions specifically to Roberts and Garfield, who are white, while being accused of excluding Edebiri, who is black.
“Now that the #MeToo era and the Black Lives Matters are done, what do we have to expect in Hollywood and what we lost, we lost something with the politically correct era?” she asked.
Despite the question not being directed at her, Edebiri jumped in to answer it.
“I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful that it’s not for me, but I just am curious,” the star of “The Bear” said.
She went on, “I don’t think it’s done. I don’t think it’s done at all,” as Roberts chimed in with her agreement.
Edebiri went on: “I think maybe hashtags might not be used as much, but I do think that there’s work being done by activists, by people, every day, that’s beautiful, important work that’s not finished, that’s really, really, really active for a reason, because this world is really charged. And that work isn’t finished at all. Maybe if there’s not, like, mainstream coverage in the way that there might have been, daily headlines in the way that it might have been eight or so years ago, but I don’t think it means that the work is done. That’s what I would say.”
Garfield chimed in, agreeing that the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements “are still absolutely alive, as you say, just maybe not as labeled or covered or magnified as much.”
The exchange triggered widespread backlash online, with many commenters accusing Poidoro of asking an insensitive question while being dismissive of the only black actor participating in the interview.
Following the resulting backlash, Polidoro took to Instagram to defend herself in a lengthy post.
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“I am not aware of any protocol that dictates the order in which questions must be asked in an interview,” the journalist wrote in part. “Censoring or delegitimizing questions considered ‘uncomfortable’ does not fall within the practice of democracy.”
“To those who unjustly accuse me of racism, I would like to clarify that in my work I have interviewed people of every background and ethnicity, and my own family is multi-ethnic, matriarchal, and feminist, with a significant history of immigration,” she continued. 
“I have collaborated for over 20 years with numerous national and international publications of all political orientations, always approaching my work with openness and professional rigor. In my view, the real racists are those who see racism everywhere and seek to muzzle journalism, limiting freedom of analysis, critical thinking and the plurality of perspectives.”
“After the Hunt” is a psychological thriller about a college professor (Roberts) whose student (Edebiri) makes an accusation against one of her colleagues (Garfield). The film’s tagline is, “Not everything is supposed to make you uncomfortable.”

Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri

Reporter Under Fire For Directing BLM Question Only To White Actors Says Backlash Is Censorship

Black Lives Matter

Entertainment

Hollywood

Journalism

Media

MeToo

Racism

World

The passing of Native American actor Graham Greene reminded us of the Oscar-winning 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” The film cast Greene as Kicking Bird, and his screen time with director and star Kevin Costner set the table for the drama.
The film remains beloved for its portrait of the American West, many warts and all. It’s also emblematic of Costner’s career, one dedicated to the great outdoors in the grand American tradition.
Few actors have clung to that mythos like Costner, from his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves” to his most recent venture, the “Horizon” saga. Along the way, Costner has explored the American wilderness on screens large and small, creating a genuine affection for his country in the process.
<div id="attachment_969287" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969287" class="size-large wp-image-969287" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB.</div>
He didn’t sugarcoat the land’s flaws then, and he refused to do so in subsequent projects. America’s natural beauty and potential proved his constant companion.
It explains why he endures as more than just a movie star at the age of 70. He’s part of the cultural fabric. And, even when he’s taking political stances that anger a good half of the country, his treasure trove of goodwill barely takes a hit.
Costner famously got left on the editing room floor in 1983’s“The Big Chill,” even though his character’s fate powered the nostalgia-laced drama. Director Lawrence Kasdan made amends to the young actor by casting him in the ensemble western “Silverado.”
<div id="attachment_969291" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969291" class="size-large wp-image-969291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg" alt="CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &quot;Silverado&quot; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)" width="710" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg 710w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-768x623.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px" />CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &#8220;Silverado&#8221; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)</div>
From there, Costner landed “The Untouchables” (1987), “Bull Durham” (1988), and “Field of Dreams” (1989), a run of hits few actors could match, then or now. That gave him the clout to start shaping his career on his terms. And that led to “Dances with Wolves.”
The film may appear “woke” in retrospect, showcasing a guilt-ridden white man coming to terms with his country’s cruelty to Native Americans. Costner grounded the Western epic with respect for all its elements – from historical realities to the harsh truths about frontier life. 
Such messaging is often found in movies with what YouTube film and TV critic, The Critical Drinker, famously calls “The Message.” Costner, however, refused to lecture without context or push an agenda without exploring that time and place from all angles.
“Dances with Wolves” brought the nation’s complicated history to life, not with finger-wagging asides but a three-dimensional portrait that couldn’t be denied.
And, in the process, he forged a connection with American storytelling that became his unofficial identity. Costner has worked constantly since that film’s release, and his career has hit the usual bumps along the way.
He returned to the American West repeatedly over the years, from the unsung 2003 western “Open Range” to 1994’s “Wyatt Earp.” The latter got overshadowed by “Tombstone,” released a year earlier and featuring an iconic turn from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
And, when his career appeared to be on the downside, Costner teamed with rising TV producer Taylor Sheridan to anchor “Yellowstone.” The Paramount series wasn’t set in the 1800s, but its Montana backdrop and timeless themes connected to the stories Costner knows best.
How many modern shows reflect the natural beauty of a state like Montana? For Costner and Sheridan, it just felt like home.
At a time when even “hit” TV shows draw a fraction of the audience of prior smashes, “Yellowstone” drew huge ratings. The show’s 2024 finale drew north of 13 million viewers.
<div id="attachment_969295" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969295" class="size-large wp-image-969295" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &quot;Yellowstone, Watch 'Em Ride Away&quot;Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network - copyright Paramount Network 2022" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &#8220;Yellowstone: Watch &#8216;Em Ride Away&#8221; Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network &#8211; copyright Paramount Network 2022</div>
The Sheridan saga featured a sprawling cast, but Costner’s John Dutton anchored the show. Once again, the actor’s instincts and authenticity made the series matter.
Actors can only fake so much. Audiences see the now weathered star as a credible and engaging part of the American landscape. He leaned on that persona for not one but two FOX Nation limited series based on Yellowstone history – “Yellowstone One Fifty” and “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner.”
Costner’s cinematic passions came to a head last year with a project that may never be completed as he originally envisioned it.
Costner returned to the director’s chair for 2024’s “Horizon: An American Saga.” The old-school western cost him a pretty penny, and then some. The star used his sizable wealth to help fund what he saw as a four-part movie saga.
The first installment drew modest reviews and tepid box office results – just $38 million worldwide. The second chapter, already filmed, currently lacks a release date, although it debuted at the Venice International Film Festival last year.
The actor has been open about struggling to fund parts three and four, and it’s possible the saga will end with the second film.
The irony? Costner began dreaming up the story behind “Horizon” in the late 1980s, just before his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves.” His quest to turn the American West into a deeply personal film franchise may have been doomed by fiscal realities, but it’s in line with Costner’s creative self.
He loves America, from its natural splendor to its ability to let citizens dream impossible dreams. And nowhere is that more evident than in the great outdoors.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Fanatics Fest NYC 2025

Kevin Costner: The Wild Wild West Movie Star

actors

Celebrities

Kevin Costner

Montana

Movies

Yellowstone

&#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; film director Chris Columbus cast doubt on the possibility of ever having a cast reunion — and suggested that author J.K. Rowling&#8217;s stance on the transgender issue was the primary reason such an event could never happen.
Columbus, who directed the first two films in the franchise and produced the third, said that differences of opinion on certain political issues would prevent the whole group from ever working together again — and clearly hinted that Rowling was the odd one out on that score.
The question came up during a recent interview with The Sunday Times, when Columbus said that he&#8217;d initially hoped to be able to bring the original cast back together for a film adaptation of the stage show &#8220;Harry Porter and the Cursed Child,&#8221; but that he&#8217;d ruled out such a project for &#8220;political&#8221; reasons.
&#8220;It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast.&#8221;
Shortly after news of the interview and Columbus&#8217; comments began circulating on social media, Rowling posted a vague response via X.
&#8220;As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference,&#8221; Rowling began, asking, &#8220;Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry Potter so miserable?&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
&#8220;Is it my belief that women and girls should have their own public changing rooms and bathrooms? That women should retain female-only rape crisis centres? That men don’t belong in women’s sport?&#8221; she continued. &#8220;That female prisoners shouldn’t be incarcerated with violent men and male sex offenders? That women should remain a protected class in law, because they have sex-specific needs and issues?&#8221;
Rowling&#8217;s list of questions went on at length as she added, &#8220;That language should reflect reality rather than ideological jargon, especially in a medical context? That women shouldn’t be harassed, persecuted or fired for refusing to pretend humans can change sex? That women should not be threatened with violence and rape when they assert their rights? That freedom of speech and belief are essential to a pluralistic democratic society? That troubled minors, especially those who are gay, autistic and trauma-experienced, should be given mental health support instead of irreversible surgeries and drug treatments on non-existent evidence of benefit? That gay people shouldn’t be pressured to include the opposite sex in their dating pools, nor should they be smeared as ‘genital fetishists’ when they don’t? That cross-dressing heterosexual male fetishists aren’t actually oppressed, but having the time of their lives piggybacking off gender identity ideology? That said ideology, and the privileged, blinkered fools pushing it because they suffer zero consequences themselves, have done more damage to the political left’s credibility than Trump and Farage could have achieved in a century? Let me have your thoughts.&#8221;
Rowling has often found herself at odds with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jk-rowling-flags-harmful-message-trans-activists-are-sending-to-women-you-are-a-costume">radical trans activists</a> for her views on keeping private single sex spaces and protecting the sex-based rights of women, and has been labeled a Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF) on a number of occasions. Several members of the &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; original cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, have spoken out against her views as well.

BRITAIN-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMB

‘Harry Potter’ Director Nixes Cast Reunion Over Rowling’s Trans Stance

Emma Watson

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

Politics

Transgender

When Warrior Chief Kaʻiana discovers he&#8217;s been manipulated into massacring the peaceful villagers of the island of O’ahu, Apple TV+&#8217;s &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; reveals a disturbing truth about power that transcends any single culture or era. This historical drama, starring Jason Momoa, follows the former Kauaʻi chief who made his home on Maui in self-exile, disgusted by the violent nature of Kauai’s King Kahekili. When Kahekili draws him back under false pretenses — claiming the young king of O&#8217;ahu poses a threat to Maui — Kaʻiana reluctantly participates in what becomes a massacre that turns out to be a peaceful farming community whose king honored the same peaceful ideals Kaʻiana himself embodied.
Set against the backdrop of increasing British arrivals and the looming unification of Hawaiʻi under Kamehameha I, the series examines the collision between noble intentions and brutal realities. Kamehameha&#8217;s unification campaign involved systematic warfare across the island chain, employing both traditional Hawaiian tactics and newly acquired Western firearms — a cruel irony that mirrors the show&#8217;s central themes of violence in pursuit of ostensibly noble goals. This historical trajectory proves grimly prophetic: the unified Kingdom of Hawaiʻi eventually fell to American and European colonization in 1893, became a U.S. territory in 1898, and was subsequently admitted as a U.S. state in 1959 — exactly as the native Hawaiians had feared when they first witnessed increasing numbers of white men discovering their islands.
&#8220;Chief of War&#8221; weaves together several powerful themes: preserving the cultural identity of native Hawaiian people, examining the practical ideals of unification alongside the horrific violence that ensued in this pursuit, and exploring the moral complexities of leadership during times of both internal warfare and external threats from forces seeking to subjugate the kingdom. These themes resonate well with contemporary American political discourse, where we continually hear from the progressive left that America is fundamentally a nation of occupiers and usurpers — a country built on the backs of those it has enslaved and subjugated, requiring comprehensive amends for historical injustices against enslaved blacks, native Americans, and islanders now under its rule. This narrative has shaped everything from reparations debates to land acknowledgments, creating a political narrative that often reduces complex historical realities to simple victim-oppressor dynamics.
<div id="attachment_964015" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-964015" class="size-large wp-image-964015" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-864x576.jpg" alt="KAPOLEI, HAWAII - JULY 18: Jason Momoa attends the world premiere of the Apple TV+ drama series &quot;Chief of War&quot; at Ko Olina Beach Park on July 18, 2025 in Kapolei, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-2225039360.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />KAPOLEI, HAWAII &#8211; JULY 18: Jason Momoa attends the world premiere of the Apple TV+ drama series &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; at Ko Olina Beach Park on July 18, 2025 in Kapolei, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)</div>
While America should fully acknowledge its horrific past of enslavement, betrayals, and subjection of indigenous peoples, these actions represent examples of the universal human condition rather than uniquely European evil. In &#8220;Chief of War,&#8221; we witness the violent, power-hungry Kahekili betraying his own nephew, manipulating him as an instrument of war against the peaceful people of O&#8217;ahu. This demonstrates that even without the threat of European colonization, the capacity for both evil and good exists within all cultures and peoples. The primary difference lies in scale — violence, war, and betrayal among a small group of islands operates by the same moral principles as similar actions across an entire continent.
This pattern of moral complexity extends particularly to American slavery. Few Americans are aware that without direct African involvement, there would have been no trans-Atlantic slave trade. Professor and historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. notes in a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/opinion/23gates.html">New York Times opinion</a> article that colonial conquests of Africa&#8217;s interior didn&#8217;t occur until the late 1800s. For centuries prior, European explorers remained close to coastal forts, depending entirely on Africans to sell those they had enslaved to European traders who would transport these slaves to the New World — accounting for 90% of the slave trade. Gates poses the salient question we should all consider: why do Americans place blame solely at the feet of Europeans when their success was entirely dependent on the slave-trading kingdoms of western and central Africa?
Similarly, we should also examine the argument that pre-Columbian America was entirely populated by peaceful natives prior to European colonization. Historical evidence reveals this narrative is incomplete. While European arrival undeniably brought devastating new diseases, conflicts over land, and systematic violence as settlers expanded into the continent&#8217;s interior, warfare and conflict among tribes existed long before this period. Archaeological evidence confirms ongoing competition for resources and territorial disputes among various Native American tribes.
This analysis doesn&#8217;t suggest that Europeans were justified in their atrocities against other people groups. America&#8217;s history is written in blood, and there can be no denial of the utter brutality involved in its making. However, judging historical figures by contemporary moral standards is highly problematic. All humans are creatures of their time, and many of us descend from those who formed America, for good or ill. Thus, no one in the present day can reasonably (or should) claim how they would have responded to any given circumstance in the distant past.
We must recognize there is only one race — the human race — and only one condition — the human condition. &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; reminds us that moral complexity, the capacity for both violence and nobility, isn&#8217;t unique to any particular people — it is the universal burden and potential of being human. &#8220;Chief of War&#8221; ultimately challenges viewers to abandon the comfortable simplicity of America’s increasing echo chambers of tribal thought by embracing the difficult work of understanding humanity&#8217;s capacity for both cruelty and compassion across all cultures and eras.
* * *
Walter Myers III is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-22-Aug-2025-09-06-AM-328

‘Chief Of War’ Challenges The Myth Of ‘Peaceful Natives’ Before Colonization

'Chief Of War' Challenges The Myth Of 'Peaceful Natives' Before Colonization

Apple

Hawaii

indigenous

Jason Momoa

Native Americans

“Basic Instinct” writer Joe Eszterhas, 80, recently discussed how he plans to approach a reboot of the 1992 thriller “Basic Instinct.” 
The film writer spoke again about his plans for the project, telling <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/basic-instinct-writer-promises-anti-woke-reboot-sharon-stone-claims-original-film-ruined-her-image">Fox News Digital</a> that being politically correct has “stripped” films of real dialogue. 
&#8220;I think that the language has been, for political reasons, the truth has been gutted in some ways,&#8221; Eszterhas told the outlet in a newly published interview. &#8220;And yes, I hope that this ‘Basic&#8217; renewal will be as successful, language-wise, as the first one was.&#8221;
He mentioned specific lines with vulgarity, including when Stone’s co-star Michael Douglas, who played homicide detective Nick Curran, called her “the f*** of the century.”
Eszterhas said he’s glad there are conversations in the industry about political correctness. “DEI, it may be a noble concept, but it doesn&#8217;t work in drama and in film,&#8221; he added.
During an <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/joe-eszterhas-basic-instinct-reboot-trump-interview/">interview</a> last month with The Wrap, Eszterhas said the film was “anti-woke” before going into detail about how the main character will be “open about her sexuality” in addition to being, “raunchy at times,” “funny,” and “iconoclastic.”
In the first film, the character Catherine Tramell, a wealthy heiress, is played by Sharon Stone.
“In terms of the woke culture, I think that there is a segment of the population that’s had it with woke culture. But then there’s also a huge segment that hasn’t. I don’t believe in woke and I don’t believe in being politically correct because I think it’s not the truth, and I like the truth spoken,” Eszterhas at the time.
He added, “The absurdities come when a woman who is sexual and open about her sexuality, you know, the culture that that I grew up in would describe that woman as a nymphomaniac. If a man did the same thing he would be a stud.”
While Eszterhas said he’d love Stone to reprise her role as Tramell, the 67-year-old actress seems less enthused about the idea.
&#8220;If it goes the way the one I was in went, I would just say, ‘I don’t know why you do it. I mean, go ahead, but good f***ing luck,&#8221; she said during a Today show appearance this week.
Stone starred in “Basic Instinct 2” in 2006, but the film was panned by both audiences and critics. It currently has a 6% critic’s score and 26% audience rating on <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/basic_instinct_2">Rotten Tomatoes</a>.

Basic Instinct

‘Basic Instinct’ Writer Discusses ‘Anti-Woke’ Reboot, Says DEI ‘Doesn’t Work’ In Film

 'Basic Instinct' Writer Discusses 'Anti-Woke' Reboot, Says DEI  'Doesn't Work' In Film

Wokeness

Tom Cruise reportedly turned down a chance to be honored by President Donald Trump with an award at the Kennedy Center, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2025/08/13/trump-kennedy-center-honorees/">The Washington Post</a>.
The outlet reported that the “Top Gun: Maverick” star cited “scheduling conflicts” when asked to attend the gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., on December 7.
Cruise, 63, remains silent on political issues, and <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/tom-cruise-sidesteps-trump-tariff-question-mission-impossible-1236392597/">redirected</a> the conversation when a Korean reporter pressed him on the issue of Trump and tariffs at a press junket for “Mission: Impossible 8” earlier this year.
“We’d rather answer questions about the movie. Thank you,” the actor said.
Notably, Cruise has a history of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63992399/">skipping</a> awards shows, especially considering how fans believe he’s been snubbed by the Academy on multiple occasions after being nominated for an Oscar three times, but never winning.
President Trump made headlines earlier this week when he announced this year’s Kennedy Center honorees personally during a press conference.
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This year’s celebrity honorees include country singer George Strait, legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, the rock band KISS, “Phantom of the Opera” actor Michael Crawford, and singer Gloria Gaynor, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-kennedy-center-nominees-says-he-rejected-wokesters">reported</a>.
“The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees are outstanding people, incredible, we can’t wait … in a few short months since I became chairman of the board, the Kennedy Center, we’ve completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution,” Trump said during his speech on Wednesday.
When asked if he participated in the selection process, Trump said he was “about 98% involved” and that “they all came through me.”
The president flat out said he turned down certain suggestions for being too “woke.”
“I turned down plenty, they were too woke. … I had a couple of wokesters. No, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be,” Trump added. He went on to mention other Hollywood awards shows, which seemingly take an opposite approach.
“Look at the Academy Awards — it gets lousy ratings now, it’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore,” Trump said.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Reportedly Turned Down Trump’s Invite To Kennedy Center Awards

Tom Cruise Reportedly Turned Down Trump's Invite To Kennedy Center Awards

Donald Trump

The Kennedy Center

U.S.

Director Ron Howard is reflecting on “Hillbilly Elegy,” the film he made about the early life of Vice President JD Vance, saying he’s surprised by the VP’s “divisive” rhetoric.
The filmmaker spoke with <a href="https://www.vulture.com/article/ron-howard-in-conversation.html">Vulture</a> about his current thoughts on the 2020 film starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams as Vance’s Mamaw and mother, respectively. Actor Gabriel Basso played the adult version of the VP.
The movie was based on Vance’s best-selling 2016 memoir by the same name.
“It remains a bit of a surprise to me,” Howard told Vulture of Vance’s trajectory to the White House. “I would not have seen it coming, and I wouldn’t have expected his rhetoric to be as divisive as it sometimes is. By the way, I’m not following him or listening to every word.”
“He was trying to run an investment fund. So the run for Senate and the strategy he’s chosen to follow are not what I would’ve expected,” he added.
“I don’t think about it,” Howard told Vulture of the film’s legacy. “I know it’s a mixed bag and probably quite culturally divided. I also know that reviews were bad and the audience-reaction rating was pretty good.”
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When asked if he’s had any contact with Vance since filming and promoting the movie was done, the Oscar-winning director admitted he texted Vance after he won alongside Trump in 2024.
“I did one text, after the election, which was just sort of ‘Godspeed. Try to serve us well,&#8217;” Howard told the outlet.
Earlier this year, Basso said he doesn’t regret the part and thinks it’s “crazy” he played someone who eventually became vice president.
&#8220;It&#8217;s kind of weird to be included in that timeline,&#8221; the actor <a href="https://ew.com/gabriel-basso-says-it-was-weird-to-play-cool-dude-jd-vance-8778261">said</a> of the part.
&#8220;When he&#8217;s thinking about his life — they made a movie of his book, and my name will always be in the description,&#8221; Basso said. &#8220;We talked a little bit. He&#8217;s a cool dude. We&#8217;re both from the Midwest. We just talked about life — about growing up in the woods.&#8221;
Meanwhile Close insists that Vance is totally different now than he was on set. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know what happened,&#8221; the actress told the audience of “The View” in January. “Power is probably the biggest aphrodisiac for a human being.&#8221;
“Hillbilly Elegy” is about Yale Law student JD Vance (Basso) reflecting on his turbulent upbringing in a working-class Appalachian family and his struggle to break free from cycles of poverty and alcoholism. Told through flashbacks, it follows Vance’s relationship with his strong-willed grandmother (Close) and his troubled mother (Adams). Major themes include redemption, forgiveness, resilience, and strong family ties.

Ron Howard

Ron Howard Comments On Legacy Of Movie About JD Vance’s Life

Ron Howard Comments On Legacy Of Movie About JD Vance's Life

JD Vance

Vice President

Two-time Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington said taking home Hollywood&#8217;s biggest honor doesn&#8217;t matter much to him in the long run.
The 70-year-old star, who has also been nominated for Academy Awards nine times, made the remarks while speaking to &#8220;Jake&#8217;s Takes&#8221; on his &#8220;Highest 2 Lowest&#8221; press tour. He confirmed that he did not choose projects based on his likelihood of winning an Oscar.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t do it for Oscars. I don&#8217;t care about that kind of stuff,&#8221; Washington said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve been at this a long time, and there&#8217;s time when I won and shouldn&#8217;t have won and then didn&#8217;t win and should&#8217;ve won. Man gives the award. God gives the reward.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m not that interested in Oscars,&#8221; the &#8220;Training Day&#8221; actor added. &#8220;People ask me, &#8216;Where do I keep it?&#8217; Well, next to the other one. I&#8217;m not bragging! Just telling you how I feel about it. On my last day, [Oscars] aren&#8217;t going to do me a bit of good.&#8221;
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This attitude aligns with statements he made in the past. While many of his fans believed Washington was snubbed for his work on &#8220;Gladiator II&#8221; last year, he reacted to the idea by telling <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/magazine/denzel-washington-interview.html">The New York Times</a>, &#8220;Are you kidding me? Awww. Oh, I&#8217;m so upset. Listen, I&#8217;ve been around too long. I&#8217;m getting wiser, working on talking less and learning to understand more — and that&#8217;s exciting.&#8221;
Washington has also been outspoken about his Christian faith for years.
&#8220;Things I said about God when I was a little boy, just reciting them in church along with everybody else, I know now. God is real. God is love. God is the only way. God is the true way. God blesses. It&#8217;s my job to lift God up, to give Him praise, to make sure that anyone and everyone I speak to the rest of my life understands that He is responsible for me,&#8221; Washington <a href="https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a62888212/denzel-washington-gladiator-2-interview-2024/">wrote</a> in a personal essay published in Esquire last year. 
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&#8220;When you see me, you see the best I could do with what I&#8217;ve been given by my lord and savior. I&#8217;m unafraid. I don&#8217;t care what anyone thinks. See, talking about the fear part of it — you can&#8217;t talk like that and win Oscars. You can&#8217;t talk like that and party. You can&#8217;t say that in this town.&#8221;

Denzel Washington

‘Won’t Do Me A Bit Of Good’: Denzel Washington Reveals The Big Achievement He No Longer Cares About

Denzel Washington Says He Doesn't Care About Winning Oscars, 'Won't Do Me A Bit Of Good' After Death

Academy Awards

Faith

President Trump has broken from tradition to announce this year’s Kennedy Center honorees personally during a press conference rather than revealing the recipients via press release. It’s all part of the president’s goal of being more involved with the Center, which he installed himself as chairman of after taking office.
This year’s celebrity honorees include country singer George Strait, legendary actor Sylvester Stallone, the rock band KISS, “Phantom of the Opera” actor Michael Crawford, and singer Gloria Gaynor.
&#8220;The 48th Kennedy Center Honorees are outstanding people, incredible, we can&#8217;t wait … in a few short months since I became chairman of the board, the Kennedy Center, we&#8217;ve completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution,&#8221; Trump said during his speech on Wednesday.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="President Trump Visits the Kennedy Center and Makes an Announcement" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W2K2j_Wakgs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
When asked if he participated in the selection process, Trump said he was “about 98% involved” and that “they all came through me.”
The president flat out said he turned down certain suggestions for being too “woke.”
&#8220;I turned down plenty, they were too woke. … I had a couple of wokesters. No, we have great people. This is very different than it used to be,&#8221; Trump added. He went on to mention other Hollywood awards shows, which seemingly take an opposite approach.
&#8220;Look at the Academy Awards — it gets lousy ratings now, it’s all woke. All they do is talk about how much they hate Trump, but nobody likes that. They don’t watch anymore,” Trump said.
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Trump made headlines earlier this year when he promised to reform the Kennedy Center, which began when he replaced its board and was elected chairman. Trump also tapped Special Envoy Richard Grenell to serve as the Center’s president.
“At my direction, we are going to make the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote in February. “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.”
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on December 7.

Trump Announces Kennedy Center Nominees, Says He Rejected ‘Wokesters’

Kennedy Center

In a culture notorious for rewarding victimization, Sydney Sweeney is going viral for symbolizing something we’ve all been missing: sanity. She’s not loud or radical, and she’s not trying to make a statement. But somehow, just by acting normal, she’s become one.
All she had to do was dress in head-to-toe denim and lean over a car to make the internet go absolutely bananas.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-sexy-sydney-sweeney-ad-campaign-has-internet-celebrating-the-end-of-woke">campaign</a> in question is a new ad for American Eagle, and anyone who spends any time on social media has certainly seen reactions to it over the past few weeks. The ad is washed in soft nostalgia, with a vibe including a gas station stop, American denim, and a once-ubiquitous girl-next-door look.
Sweeney’s ad is like a love letter to everything American culture supposedly outgrew. And that’s why people can’t stop talking about it.
The ad racked up millions of views in days. It’s the most viral moment of Sweeney’s career, even more than her Emmy-nominated turn on the popular HBO drama “Euphoria.”
In one of the ads, Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue.”
This messaging has led to absolute meltdowns by mainstream media and leftist social media influencers, who insist the Sweeney ads are nothing but “Nazi propaganda.” Backlash got so bad that American Eagle responded, but instead of apologizing, they surprisingly doubled down.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story,” the company <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DM0tMjaTBll/?hl=en">posted</a> on their Instagram.
“We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way,” the statement continued. “Great jeans look good on everyone.”
The reaction has been telling. Fans are celebrating the campaign as a breath of fresh air — it’s not just a fashion ad, it’s a vibe shift. In an industry that runs on provocation, Sweeney is quietly proving you don’t have to reject femininity, tradition, or wholesomeness to be relevant. You just have to stop pretending you’re above it.
That shouldn’t be controversial. But in Hollywood today, it absolutely is.
Sweeney grew up far from the glitz of Los Angeles. She was born and raised in Spokane, a small city in eastern Washington, and comes from what the media might call a “conservative” family — though Sweeney has never commented on politics.
But she has alluded to them. Leftists were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/euphoria-actress-responds-after-shes-attacked-for-family-photos-with-pro-police-shirt-maga-like-hat">furious</a> in 2022 when she posted photos from her mother’s 60th birthday party. The pictures, which included a relative wearing a “Blue Lives Matter” shirt and a MAGA-style hat, sparked immediate outrage.
Sweeney didn’t take the same path as many before her by issuing a groveling apology. Instead, she posted a follow-up post on X <a href="https://x.com/sydney_sweeney/status/1563660155425673217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, “You guys, this is wild. An innocent celebration for my mom’s milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement… Please stop making assumptions.”
That act of defiance, refusing to apologize, was rare enough. But it’s what she hasn’t done since that’s even more interesting. She hasn’t become a political mouthpiece. She hasn’t branded herself as “anti-woke.” She’s just stayed normal. And for some reason, that drives people crazy.
It’s rare to see a Hollywood star so universally embraced without selling a political message, trauma story, or carefully calculated ideology. But maybe that’s the point.
Conservative commentator Megyn Kelly summed up what many have been saying on a recent episode of her podcast.
“She’s all woman,” Kelly said of Sweeney. “She has a great pair on her that would be the envy of virtually every woman, and they’re obviously natural… and so she’s in some ways, the opposite of a Kardashian,” she added. “She’s petite … she’s buxom, but they’re natural, and her face is not overly prodded or manipulated. She looks normal. She looks like just a pretty American girl.”
Hollywood doesn’t know what to do with someone like Sweeney because she’s not trying to be anyone else. She’s not reinventing herself for every season. She’s not jumping on trends to stay relevant.
It all speaks to a growing hunger for authenticity. It’s not the kind of curated authenticity influencers serve up with a wink and a sponsorship deal. People want real. They’re over the Botox looks that have dominated for years.
That’s the sweet spot Sydney Sweeney has managed to occupy.
Her critics don’t know how to handle it. She’s a reminder that the pendulum is swinging in the hearts of viewers who are tired of being lectured. Sweeney isn’t fighting that culture war directly, but she’s proving that jeans, normalcy, and charm still resonate with most of America.

Sydney Sweeney

The World’s Most Dangerous Blonde? Sydney Sweeney And The Threat Of Normalcy

advertising

Culture

Feminism

Actress Halle Berry’s ex-husband revealed some telling reasons why their marriage didn’t work out, explaining that it had a lot to do with how the Oscar-winning star saw her role as a wife compared to what he’d experienced growing up.
Former MLB player David Justice, who got hitched to Berry in 1993, said during a recent podcast interview that he started to question their compatibility after a brief “honeymoon phase” early in their marriage.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="David Justice Opens Up On Playing With Deion Sanders, Jeter, Steroids Era &amp; The Impact of Moneyball" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/L6FepShp9h8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;My knowledge and my understanding, my wisdom around relationships just wasn&#8217;t vast,&#8221; he said on an episode of Matt Barnes&#8217; “All the Smoke” podcast. &#8220;So, I&#8217;m looking at my mom — and I&#8217;m a Midwest guy. So, in my mind, I&#8217;m thinking a wife at that time should cook, clean, [be] traditional, you know?&#8221;
&#8220;Then I&#8217;m thinking, &#8216;OK, if we have kids, is this the woman I want to have kids with and build a family with?&#8217; &#8221; Justice continued. &#8220;At that time, as a young guy — she don&#8217;t cook, don&#8217;t clean, don&#8217;t really seem like motherly, and then we start having issues.&#8221;
Justice, now 59, said he and Berry didn’t receive “negative attention” until they broke up in 1996.
&#8220;She asked me to marry her after knowing me for five months,&#8221; the pro athlete added. &#8220;I said OK, because I couldn&#8217;t say no. Who&#8217;s going to say no at that time?&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if my heart was really into it, but I didn&#8217;t want to make her feel bad and say no, you know, or [if] I was just in the moment,&#8221; he went on.
&#8220;We spent a lot of time apart because she was doing movies in this country, that country. And we honestly probably could have made it if I knew about therapy. If we knew about therapy, we probably could have made it,&#8221; he told Barnes.
&#8220;We never had any major issues like that,&#8221; Justice said. &#8220;It&#8217;s just &#8230; because I was young and had only been in one real relationship before her.&#8221;
Justice married his current wife, Rebecca Villalobos, in 2001 and has three children with her. 
Berry, 58, was married twice more: to Eric Benét from 2001 until 2005, and to Olivier Martinez from 2013 until 2016. The actress has a daughter with French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry and a son with Martinez. She has been in a relationship with musician Van Hunt since 2020.

Halle Berry David Justice

Halle Berry’s Ex-Husband On Why They Split: She Wasn’t ‘Motherly,’ Didn’t Cook Or Clean

Halle Berry's Ex-Husband Said They Split Because She Wasn't 'Motherly,' Didn't Cook Or Clean

Marriage

Anti-woke voices share a social media saying when sanity returns to the culture, be it acknowledging that sex sells in ads or proof that Cancel Culture is on the run.
Nature is healing.
That rings true regarding the saga of Gina Carano. The MMA standout-turned-action heroine had it all – a burgeoning career, the adoration of fans and a plum gig on Disney+’s “The Mandalorian.”
Then Disney fired her for “problematic” social media posts.
Carano just settled her lawsuit against the Mouse House with the suggestion that the two sides might work together on future projects. She didn’t land a knockout legal blow but staring down arguably the biggest company in Hollywood proved a victory all the same.
You might call it a healing moment.
She wasn’t destined for movie stardom, at least not during her MMA days. As fate would have it, Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh saw something in Carano while watching her on TV. He eventually crafted an action thriller around her beauty and brawn via 2011’s “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1506999/">Haywire</a>.”
<div id="attachment_958907" style="width: 991px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-958907" class="wp-image-958907 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-139034717-981x576.jpg" alt="BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 15: Actors Antonio Banderas and Gina Carano attend the &quot;Haywire&quot; Press Conference during day seven of the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival at the Grand Hyatt on February 15, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)" width="981" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-139034717-981x576.jpg 981w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-139034717-300x176.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-139034717-768x451.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-139034717.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 981px) 100vw, 981px" />Sean Gallup/Getty Images</div>
The film <a href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1506999/?ref_=bo_se_r_1">wasn’t a smash</a>, but it proved she could act alongside established stars like Antonio Banderas, Channing Tatum, and Michael Fassbender. The Hollywood door creaked open.
She kept working on screen, landing notable roles in “Deadpool,” “Fast &amp; Furious 6” and “Extraction.”
And then came “The Mandalorian.” Disney finally got the “Star Wars” magic right with the TV series starring Pedro Pascal as the title character. She joined the cast as Cara Dune, a loner seeking vengeance against the Empire for terminating her home planet of Alderaan. She quickly became a fan favorite, and buzz began to build that Disney+ would spin off her character into her own show.
Carano says “Mandalorian” director Jon Favreau of “Iron Man” fame told her, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/gina-carano-interview-madalorian-firing-elon-musk-disney-1235851597/">“your life is about to change.”</a>
<div id="attachment_958915" style="width: 862px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-958915" class="size-large wp-image-958915" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1187551494-852x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 13: (L-R) Ming-Na Wen, Pedro Pascal, Executive Producer Jon Favreau, Executive Producer/Director Dave Filoni, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Executive Producer Kathleen Kennedy and Werner Herzog arrive at the premiere of Lucasfilm's first-ever, live-action series, &quot;The Mandalorian,&quot; at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. on November 13, 2019. &quot;The Mandalorian&quot; streams exclusively on Disney+. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)" width="852" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1187551494-852x576.jpg 852w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1187551494-300x203.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1187551494-768x519.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/GettyImages-1187551494.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 852px) 100vw, 852px" />Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney</div>
She was this close to stardom, the kind young actors can only dream about. Except Carano didn’t follow Hollywood’s progressive playbook. She wasn’t openly conservative, but she began questioning COVID-19 protocols on social media, echoing the thoughts of many Americans but not the Legacy Media or the Left.
She pushed for election reform, noting how fellow Americans lacked trust in the current system. Once again, a fairly mainstream view was suddenly deemed out of bounds following President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory over Donald Trump.
She considered putting up a black square following the death of George Floyd, but she didn’t want to follow the crowd with empty posturing.
Worst of all to the woke Left, she refused to put her pronouns in her social media bio, instead using a trio of silly words – Beep/Bop/Boop.
The Left went into a frenzy over that stunt, while she defended her actions as a stand against <a href="https://x.com/ginacarano/status/1305301756792860674">social media bullying</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Beep/bop/boop has zero to do with mocking trans people 🤍&amp; 💯 to do with exposing the bullying mentality of the mob that has taken over the voices of many genuine causes.
I want people to know you can take hate with a smile. So BOOP you for misunderstanding. 😊 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllLoveNoHate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllLoveNoHate</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qe48AiZyOL">pic.twitter.com/Qe48AiZyOL</a>
— Gina Carano 🕯 (@ginacarano) <a href="https://twitter.com/ginacarano/status/1305301756792860674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Credit: @ginacarano/X
Carano later revealed that Team Disney stepped in, asking her to stop sharing her thoughts online. She added the company put her through media training and even wanted to set up a Zoom meeting between the starlet and <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/gina-carano-interview-madalorian-firing-elon-musk-disney-1235851597/">45 LGBTQ+ Disney employees</a>, all angry at her refusal to share her pronouns.
Carano declined the offer, instead suggesting she have dinner with a much smaller group to reach across the cultural aisle. They refused, she contends.
Disney seemingly craved an excuse to cut ties with Carano. The company got it when she shared a plea for tolerance that evoked Nazi Germany.
<blockquote>Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors … even by children … Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?</blockquote>
Disney used the post as a pretext for termination. Disney&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gina-carano-lucasfilm-which-fired-her-pushing-her-for-an-emmy">explanation for her dismissal</a> angered many fans.
<blockquote>Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future. Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.</blockquote>
One problem? The post did no such thing. Another problem? Fellow Disney stars said far worse on social media sans punishment. 
Many called out Pascal for a post comparing <a href="https://ewerickson.substack.com/p/meet-the-double-standard-in-cancel">Trump voters to Nazis.</a>
Left unsaid? Disney worked with Bette Midler on “Hocus Pocus 2” following Carano’s dismissal, but Midler’s social media posts can be <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/disney-cancel-bette-midler-hocus-pocus-2/">cruel and dehumanizing</a>.
Disney opted not to punish either star or put them through media training.
Carano stopped working in traditional Hollywood. She next starred in The Daily Wire’s original western “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/terror-on-the-prairie?row=0&amp;elementPosition=28&amp;rowType=Square+Show+Carousel">Terror on the Prairie</a>” – a deal signed days after Disney’s dismissal. She also landed a small part in “My Son Hunter,” a Breitbart original film about Hunter Biden directed by Robert Davi.
<div id="attachment_395948" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-395948" class="wp-image-395948 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/D5B28657-62DD-4F0E-AA27-D4F70780BFC7-1024x576.jpeg" alt="Gina Carano in &quot;Terror on the Prairie.&quot; The Daily Wire/Bonfire Legend" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/D5B28657-62DD-4F0E-AA27-D4F70780BFC7-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/D5B28657-62DD-4F0E-AA27-D4F70780BFC7-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/D5B28657-62DD-4F0E-AA27-D4F70780BFC7-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/D5B28657-62DD-4F0E-AA27-D4F70780BFC7-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/06/D5B28657-62DD-4F0E-AA27-D4F70780BFC7-2048x1152.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Gina Carano in &#8220;Terror on the Prairie.&#8221; The Daily Wire/Bonfire Legend</div>
Her career appeared to be over, at least within official Hollywood corridors. Then Elon Musk caught wind of her story and offered to pay for Carano to sue Disney for wrongful termination.
That powerful backing made all the difference. <a href="https://people.com/gina-carano-settles-lawsuit-disney-mandalorian-firing-thanks-elon-musk-11787322">Disney’s official statement</a> following the settlement suggests she might return to the “Star Wars” galaxy at some point. A “Mandalorian” feature film is tentatively slated for a May 2026 release.
<blockquote>Ms. Carano was always well respected by her directors, co-stars, and staff, and she worked hard to perfect her craft while treating her colleagues with kindness and respect… With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.</blockquote>
It’s unclear if Hollywood, still a relentlessly liberal enclave that discriminates against some conservatives, will hire Carano for new projects.
By standing firm and defending her right to speak freely, however, she can hold her head high no matter the direction her acting career takes from here.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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