Action star Tom Cruise summed up his thoughts on retiring from acting with four definitive words, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I will never stop.”
The 62-year-old actor is currently promoting “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” which premiered last week at Cannes ahead of its Memorial Day weekend theatrical release. When an interviewer asked Cruise about the franchise ending with the eighth installment, he replied, “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.”
Next, the three-time Golden Globe Award winner was asked about a statement he made two years ago about his admiration for Harrison Ford, who was 80 years old when he starred in &#8220;Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny.&#8221; When <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/tom-cruise-making-movies-into-100s-mission-impossible-1236220928/">asked by THR</a> if he still felt that way, Cruise replied, “I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s.”
“I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy, films — I’m excited,” he continued.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
At the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissionImpossible?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissionImpossible</a>—The Final Reckoning premiere, Tom Cruise reveals he will keep making movies into his 100s <a href="https://t.co/dZdzfEKnAf">pic.twitter.com/dZdzfEKnAf</a>
&mdash; The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1924241894973772068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“There’s been so many levels of reward with the filmmakers that I’ve collaborated with, the crews, the people, the cultures that we’ve worked in. Everything that I’ve learned and continue to learn about storytelling, about life, about leadership, about character and every aspect of filmmaking. It’s been exceptional, it really is exceptional,” Cruise said during the red carpet interview.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to make the films that I make and I love it. I love just making movies,” he concluded.
“The Final Reckoning” is getting good buzz from critics who have viewed it ahead of its nationwide release. One reviewer called it “whip-smart and razor-sharp,” while another said it’s “an exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order.”
The “Mission: Impossible” franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have grossed more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise Has 4 Word Response To Reporter On Retirement Plans

Celebrities

Entertainment

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Mission Impossible

U.S.

Even liberally applied &#8220;Hollywood Magic&#8221; was not enough to save a floundering former President Joe Biden — &#8220;magic&#8221; that included help with lighting and sound from mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg and direction from Oscar-winner Stephen Spielberg, says the new book &#8220;Original Sin&#8221; from CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson.
In an <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/how-joe-biden-handed-the-presidency-to-donald-trump?mbid=social_twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_social-type=owned&amp;utm_brand=tny" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excerpt from the book</a> published on Tuesday by The New Yorker, Tapper and Thompson revealed just how much pre-production went into getting Biden camera ready as the 2024 presidential campaign heated up — and the moment when everyone involved realized that it just wasn&#8217;t working.
Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, who had been friends with Biden for decades, spearheaded high-dollar fundraisers — including a Radio City event that raked in $26 million — but he took on a different role as the 2024 presidential election loomed ever closer.
&#8220;As 2024 approached, he saw Biden’s communication struggles and thought he could help fix them. He worked on providing better lighting for Biden and trying to find a microphone that would amplify Biden when he would break into a whisper for emphasis,&#8221; Tapper and Thompson wrote — but Katzenberg didn&#8217;t stop there.
&#8220;Katzenberg also recruited his friend Steven Spielberg, who helped coach Biden for the State of the Union and his debates, even assisting with routine campaign videos. There was, however, only so much that Hollywood magic could do,&#8221; they continued.
The moment that shocked everyone, according to Tapper and Thompson, was Biden&#8217;s appearance at the Hollywood fundraiser hosted by actor George Clooney — and his apparent failure to immediately recognize his longtime friend and supporter.
<blockquote>“You know George,” the assisting aide told the President, gently reminding him who was in front of him. “Yeah, yeah,” the President said to one of the most recognizable men in the world, the host of this lucrative fund-raiser. “Thank you for being here.”
“Hi, Mr. President,” Clooney said.
“How are ya?” the President replied.
“How was your trip?” Clooney asked.
“It was fine,” the President said.
It seemed clear that the President had not recognized Clooney.
“It was not O.K.,” recalled the Hollywood V.I.P. who had witnessed this moment. “That thing, the moment where you recognize someone you know—especially a famous person who’s doing a f***ing fund-raiser for you—it was delayed. It was uncomfortable.”
</blockquote>
Biden had to be reminded that the man standing in front of him was George Clooney, according to witnesses.
&#8220;Clooney was shaken to his core. The President hadn’t recognized him, a man he had known for years. Clooney had expressed concern about Biden’s health before—a White House aide had told him a few months before that they were working on getting the President to take longer steps when he walked—but obviously the problem went far beyond his gait. This was much graver,&#8221; Tapper and Thompson wrote.
It was only a short time later that Clooney penned the open letter calling on Biden to exit the race.

George Clooney

Behind The Scenes: Book Reveals The Extensive ‘Hollywood Magic’ That Couldn’t Save Biden

Behind The Scenes: Book Reveals The Extensive 'Hollywood Magic' That Couldn't Save Biden

2024 Election

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

Kamala Harris

Media

Politics

Some film critics were able to check out Tom Cruise’s new film, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” ahead of its Memorial Day weekend release date of May 23, and so far, the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.
“[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] rips! Loved it. An exhilarating adrenaline rush for the head &amp; heart &amp; immersive, awe-inducing stuntacular of the highest order. McQ, [Tom Cruise] &amp; CO have crafted the gold standard – a brilliant, bold actioner for the ages. See it BIG &amp; LOUD,” one film critic <a href="https://x.com/Lulamaybelle/status/1922155008658723170">shared</a> on X. 
Another reviewer shared similar sentiments, <a href="https://x.com/ShowbizSimon/status/1922155294500556946">writing</a>, “[‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’] is whip-smart and razor-sharp, this tense eighth entry in one of the most exhilarating franchises of all time is another winner. With sphincter-tightening set pieces, blockbusters do not get much better than this. Cruise &amp; McQuarrie nail it!”
“[&#8216;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8217;] is the ACTION MOVIE OF THE SUMMER! [Tom Cruise] DEFIES ALL ODDS with JAW-DROPPING action built only for @IMAX. Every stunt, every set piece, every second is designed to blow your mind, A PULSE-POUNDING THRILL RIDE, and Cruise remains the king of spectacle,” a third reviewer <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-first-reactions-1236214813/">echoed</a>.
Another said this film, “ties up loose ends of the franchise while also coming full circle on storylines I never imagined would be revisited. The wonderfully insane stunts are to be expected, but the film really hinges on the tension throughout. It’s a great time!”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning | Official Trailer (2025 Movie) - Tom Cruise" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fsQgc9pCyDU?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>
“MI8” will debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14 ahead of its theatrical release. 
This latest effort is a follow-up to “Dead Reckoning Part One,” which was considered a box office disappointment despite making $566 million globally due to the high costs of production and marketing. Per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mission-impossible-final-reckoning-first-reactions-1236214813/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>, “MI8” cost more than $400 million to make and was plagued by production delays, meaning it has even more ground to make up.
The &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; franchise, which began in 1996 and is based on the 1960s television series, has evolved into a high-energy action filmography featuring Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts and intricate espionage plots. The films have <a href="https://www.therichest.com/mission-impossible-movies/">grossed</a> more than $4 billion worldwide, with the most successful being “Fallout” (2018).
While &#8220;Mission: Impossible &#8211; The Final Reckoning&#8221; is titled in a way that suggests it might be the end of the franchise, the film&#8217;s director, Christopher McQuarrie, has not confirmed or denied the suggestion. Tom Cruise did confirm that

The Reviews Are In For Tom Cruise And ‘Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning’

Critics Say 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Is An 'Exhilarating Adrenaline Rush'

Cannes

Movies

World

One of President Donald Trump’s better qualities flies far under the radar. He doesn’t hold a grudge. That’s especially true when there’s a greater good in play.
Then-candidate Trump sparred aggressively with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly during the 2016 campaign. Late last year, Kelly endorsed Trump, speaking at a MAGA rally days before the Nov. 5 election.
The president once dubbed a presidential rival “Little” Marco Rubio. That politician is currently Trump’s trusted Secretary of State.
Now, Trump wants to make amends with Hollywood, an industry that loathes him with the heat of a thousand suns. This act of forgiveness dwarfs them all, but Trump sees movies as a vital part of the nation’s soft power as well as a critical industry.
<div id="attachment_877383" style="width: 873px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-877383" class="size-large wp-image-877383" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-863x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 06: Donald Trump star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California on Dec. 6, 2016." width="863" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-863x576.jpg 863w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-2048x1368.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/02/GettyImages-877916002-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 863px) 100vw, 863px" />shalunts. Getty Images.</div>
It’s why Hollywood should swallow hard and play nice with President Trump. Or, at the very least, lend him its collective ear.
Trump’s shocking outreach began with, what else, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-movie-industry-is-dying-puts-plan-in-place-to-save-it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a social media post</a>. He promised 100% tariffs on movies made outside of the U.S.
<blockquote>I am authorizing the Department of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative, to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100% Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands,” he added. “WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!&#8221;</blockquote>
All heck broke loose in La La Land, with entertainment news outlets spinning furiously against the vague proposal.
Call it Trump’s opening volley, part of the president’s knack for starting with big claims and negotiating from there. It’s similar to Trump’s earlier announcement that movie superstars Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight would form a group of “Ambassadors” to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-appoints-a-list-stars-as-ambassadors-to-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revive the flailing film industry.</a>
<blockquote>It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!</blockquote>
Except the news seemed to have caught the trio by surprise and, only recently, did one of the actors, Voight, step forward with <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/jon-voight-trump-hollywood-tariff-1236390109/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concrete plans</a> on making Hollywood great again.
<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/nx-s1-5389865/trump-movie-tariffs-jon-voight-tax-incentives-hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR described Voight’s vision</a> as “federal tax incentives, co-production treaties with other countries and subsidies for theater owners and film and TV production companies.”
<div id="attachment_861225" style="width: 987px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-861225" class="size-large wp-image-861225" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-977x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 19: Actor Jon Voight speaks at Donald Trump's victory rally on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be sworn in on January 20. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)" width="977" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-977x576.jpg 977w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-300x177.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight-768x453.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/01/Jon-Voight.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 977px) 100vw, 977px" />Scott Olson/Getty Images</div>
The “Midnight Cowboy” star acknowledged the rift between Trump and Hollywood, adding that it shouldn&#8217;t distract from the big picture.
“I think he’s been treated unfairly. I think I have too. But what’s the difference? Who cares?” Voight asks. “I mean, there’s been a battle, but now it’s time to put that aside. And I must say, in all of the interactions we’ve had [on addressing runaway production], politics has never come up. Never.”
Hollywood, Inc. would be foolish not to listen.
Yes, the box office came roaring back in recent weeks, courtesy of hits like “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie.” That doesn’t camouflage the sizable issues confronting movie studios, from the death of the modern movie star to escalating film budgets.
Case in point? The upcoming “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” has a <a href="https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/3/25/mission-impossible-8-has-a-400m-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$400 million budget</a>, meaning it will have to dramatically out-perform the best films in the series to make a profit.
Hollywood’s problems would make a depressing feature.
Film and TV productions have been fleeing Los Angeles for some time. Streaming platforms have proven to be far less profitable than hoped, with Netflix emerging as the strongest money maker for now.
The DVD/Blu-ray gravy train slowed some time ago, removing a safety net for films that didn’t catch fire at theaters.
Dueling 2023 strikes hurt the industry more than anticipated, and the threat of A.I. to the creative community looms in the not-so-distant future. Social media, YouTube and other distractions now dominate the culture, making young consumers <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/deloitte-gen-z-creator-content-streaming-price-1236171227/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less invested in Hollywood product</a>.
Meanwhile, California Democrats are <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2025-05-06/newsom-called-for-a-federal-tax-incentive-to-save-hollywood-but-will-that-actually-happen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scrambling to prevent productions</a> from leaving the City of Angels for more receptive states and countries. That’s left countless Calif.-based crew members desperate for work. <a href="https://variety.com/2025/biz/news/new-york-film-subsidy-jersey-1236392167/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York just followed suit</a>.
Hollywood players hate Trump so much some wish they could erase his presence from pop culture of yore. “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/home-alone-2-director-trump-cameo-removed-1236369779/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">director said just that about Trump’s seconds-long cameo</a> in his 1992 film.
<div id="attachment_908099" style="width: 832px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908099" class="size-large wp-image-908099" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-822x576.jpg" alt="Macaulay Culkin" width="822" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-822x576.jpg 822w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-300x210.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin-768x538.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Donald-Trump-Macauley-Culkin.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px" />Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images</div>
Others have alternately <a href="https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/louis-c-k-donald-trump-insane-bigot-dangerous-1201723679/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dubbed him Hitler</a> or <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/celebrities-wished-trump-dead/">wished him dead</a>. That sentiment may be hard to overcome.
The perfect storm of problems facing Hollywood may be too much for any presidential plan to solve. Gen Z’s drift away from movie watching can’t be assuaged by new policies. Stars still insist on <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/fantastic-four-rachel-zegler-problem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insulting potential customers</a>, from “Snow White’s” Rachel Zegler to the cast of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
The two sides need to put aside their differences for the greater good. A healthy film market impacts more than just studio executives, theater owners and various crew members.
Hollywood movies send a message to the world. Films like “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006) showcase the power of the American capitalist system. Others promote values like individual liberty (2012’s “Still Mine”) and triumphs over adversity (2016’s “Hidden Figures”).
It’s why China invests so heavily in its movie industry. The Communist nation wants to put the nation’s best foot forward on the big screen, removing sequences from foreign films that cast the country in a negative light.
President Trump may not make Hollywood great again. He could help the industry thrive against all odds.
* * *
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.

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Wants To Make Hollywood Great Again — Will The Industry Listen?

California

Film

Jon Voight

Los Angeles

Mel Gibson

Netflix

New York City

President Trump

Sylvester Stallone

“Ray Donovan” star Liev Schreiber said it’s not that big of a deal that his son identifies as a woman, then proceeds to say it’s “important” to talk about it.
“Kai was always who Kai is,” the actor told <a href="https://variety.com/2025/scene/columns/liev-schreiber-trans-daughter-kai-1236390985/">Variety</a> of his 16-year-old son. “But I suppose the most profound moment was her asking us to change her pronouns. To be honest with you, it didn’t feel like that big of a deal to me only because Kai had been so feminine for so long.”
“Kai is such a fighter,” he added later. “It’s important that she goes, ‘Hey, I am trans,’ and, ‘Look at me.’”
The outlet noted that Kai, along with Schreiber and his wife, Taylor, will attend an upcoming charity gala to raise money for homeless LGBT youth.
“This isn’t just about representing the trans community,” Schreiber said. “This is actually a community of people who don’t have great resources, who don’t have access to help, who aren’t being protected and looked after by their families. These are people who are being rejected. These are people who are experiencing the harshest version of humanity that we can offer, and some of them are not surviving it.”
When the Variety interviewer asked if the nine-time Emmy Award nominee had any advice for parents of “trans kids,” Schrieber replied, “I don’t know the answer for your kid. I don’t know what it’s like for you to be a trans dad. I don’t know how you were brought up. I don’t know what religion you encountered or what your spirituality is. And for me to tell you what I think about my kid feels like an overstep.”
He added, “I guess if I would say anything to someone who’s having trouble with their trans teen or their adolescent trans kid, it’s ‘Teenagers are a headache. They’re hard.’ It doesn’t matter whether they’re trans or not because you’ll come out of this. But a trans teen is going to be a teen. They’re such a pain so much of the time, and Kai is as feisty and outspoken as they come.”
When asked how he feels about President Donald Trump rolling back left-wing gender policies via executive orders, the actor said he doesn’t “dwell on it too much.”
Many reactions on social media focused on how many trans-identifying children happen to have famous parents.
&#8220;Another Hollywood actor with a trans kid. What are the odds?&#8221; one sarcastic reaction on X <a href="https://x.com/AdamInHTownTX/status/1920598198223077841">said</a>. 
&#8220;Wouldn’t it be more newsworthy when a Hollywood kid isn’t trans?&#8221; another <a href="https://x.com/DirectorBowen/status/1920654107531980868">joked</a>.
Just <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/robert-de-niros-son-comes-out-as-transgender-woman?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Robert+De+Niro%E2%80%99s+Son+Comes+Out+As+Transgender+Woman">last week</a>, Robert De Niro&#8217;s son announced that he identifies as a transgender woman.

Liev Schreiber Kai Schreiber

Liev Schreiber On His Trans-Identifying Son: ‘It’s Important That She Goes, I Am Trans, Look at Me’

Liev Schreiber On Trans-Identifying Son: 'It’s Important That She Goes, I Am Trans, Look at Me'

actor

Parenting

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Whoopi Goldberg launched into a tirade against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, complaining that his recently-announced tariff on films made outside the United States amounted to an attempt to control the kind of movies that could be made.
Goldberg and her cohosts mocked Trump&#8217;s latest tariff announcement — a 100% tariff on movies made outside the United States — and kicked off the conversation by saying that Trump should deal with the egg prices (which have come down considerably since they peaked in March) before he worries about Hollywood.
&#8220;Okay, look,&#8221; Goldberg began. &#8220;You can&#8217;t do that because what that equates to is you&#8217;re going to tell me how to write the story I want to write if it happens in Europe, you&#8217;re telling me that if my book comes out and I want to write it, you&#8217;re telling me how to write it. You&#8217;re telling me you&#8217;re going to charge me for that.&#8221;
&#8220;What – you know, I — could you, look, ughhhhhh. Could you please lower the price of eggs before you start this?!&#8221; she continued.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Faux conservative Alyssa Farah Griffin mocks the idea of making some movie in America &#8220;Will it be Emily in Paris, Texas?&#8221; 
Sara Haines notes that Trump&#8217;s tariff threat has already caused California to want to increase incentives to film there. 
Whoopi continued to rage: &#8220;[I]f you… <a href="https://t.co/UGP6c2jMUE">pic.twitter.com/UGP6c2jMUE</a>
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/NickFondacaro/status/1919777666154045620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Cohost Alyssa Farah Griffin noted that some states were already competing to bring in filmmakers, noting that Georgia had effectively become &#8220;the Hollywood of the southeast because they make it cheaper to make movies there.&#8221; She then pivoted to mock the idea anyway, asking whether &#8220;Emily in Paris&#8221; would be remade as &#8220;Emily in Paris, Texas&#8221; — &#8220;or like &#8216;White Lotus: Mar-a-Lago Edition.&#8217; Movies will be very limited if you can only shoot here.&#8221;
Sara Haines noted that Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) had already moved to increase incentives for filmmakers to practice their craft in California, arguing that Trump&#8217;s plan could potentially bring about a positive outcome.
Goldberg pushed back, arguing that it would ultimately hurt movies if the tariff remained in place. &#8220;You can&#8217;t shoot &#8216;Gladiator&#8217; without going to Rome!&#8221;

WHOOPI GOLDBERG

‘You Can’t Do That!’: Whoopi Trashes Trump Over Hollywood Tariff, Claims He’s Controlling Movie Plots

'You Can't Do That!' Whoopi Trashes Trump Over Hollywood Tariff, Claims He's Controlling Movie Plots

Tariffs

The View

Whoopi Goldberg

Mexico rejects President Donald Trump’s offer to fight drug cartels with the U.S. military, Trump wants to bring movie production back to Hollywood, and Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signs a law limiting social media use for children.
It’s Tuesday, May 6, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here: 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Cartels are &quot;Destroying Our Country&quot; PLUS Saving Hollywood from the Libs" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VDNviNvOMG8?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>
If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fighting-mexicos-cartels-hollywood-dreaming-5-6-25/id1576594336?i=1000706494904" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Mexico Rejects Offer For U.S. Troops To Fight Cartels</h2>
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Topline: Mexico refuses President Trump’s offer to “send in the troops” to battle drug cartels.
Trump confirmed to journalists this week that he asked Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, if the United States military could be sent across the southern border to fight the cartels during a phone call with her on April 16th. Trump added that the cartels “are horrible people who’ve been killing people left and right” and addressed their role in both the fentanyl crisis and illegal immigration into the United States.
Sheinbaum rejected that offer, stating that the two countries can collaborate, but “with you in your territory and us in ours.”
This all comes as Mexico has struggled with ongoing turf wars between the cartels. One <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexico-shootout-gunmen-killed-guanajuato-state-cartels/">gunfight</a> between cartel members earlier this year resulted in three police officers being injured and the death of ten cartel gunmen.
There have been reports that the administration was considering military action for months now. In the first few weeks of his presidency, Trump’s State Department designated eight different cartels and gangs, including the Sinaloa and New Generation cartels, as foreign terror organizations. NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-weighs-drone-strikes-mexican-cartels-rcna198930">reported</a> last month that administration officials were exploring the possibility of using drone strikes against the cartels to take out their leadership or knock out their logistics sites. That report said the administration had not ruled out taking unilateral action against the cartels without the support of the Mexican government.
The Trump administration has already begun flying <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-us-trump-drones-cia-13af9277fbbbf6ff4dfd470efc9cb647">surveillance drones</a> over Mexico, at the request of Sheinbaum. The New York Times reported that the CIA was conducting the surveillance flights with the intention of locating fentanyl labs.
<h2>Trump Floats Tariffs To Protect Tinsel Town</h2>
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Topline: Can Trump &#8216;Make Hollywood Work Again?&#8217; Or will his plan to “revive” the film industry end up on the cutting room floor?
President Trump made waves in Hollywood on Monday after announcing plans to impose a 100% tariff on all foreign-made films. The president says this move will revive a “dying” American movie industry.
Trump argued that countries like Australia, the U.K., and Canada are luring American productions away with generous tax incentives. He also said that these foreign films often contain propaganda, which he described as a “national security threat.”
Essentially, Trump said that foreign interests have destroyed Hollywood, and imposing tariffs would encourage domestic production. However, the details of how this would be implemented are murky at this point.
Context: 40% fewer films and TV shows are now shot in the U.S. compared to before the actors’ and writers’ strikes of 2023. Last year, Los Angeles saw its worst on-location filming rate in history, with the exception of 2020, when productions were shut down because of the COVID pandemic. Of all the TV shows and feature films that Americans watch, only 20% are now made in California.
The Motion Picture Association, which represents major studios, has declined to comment. But industry scuttlebutt is that studios don’t like the proposed tariff because it would make filming more expensive, while workers in crew positions and technical roles generally back the idea. There’s also concern about retaliation—China has already reduced U.S. film quotas in its market, and Europe, where U.S. films dominate, could impose tit-for-tat tariffs, crippling Hollywood’s $15.3 billion trade surplus.
<h2>Virginia Restricts Social Media Access For Kids</h2>
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Topline: Virginia severely cuts social media use for kids, restricting children to one hour of social media per day.
Virginia passed a first-of-its-kind bill to limit social media time for minors. Under the “Consumer Data Protection Act,” Virginia residents under the age of 16 will have a one-hour default time limit on their social media scrolling. However, if a parent wants to override that default setting, they’ll be able to do so.
Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin signed the bill into law on Friday. The bill garnered broad support from Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the state. Youngkin wanted the bill to go further: he pushed for it to extend to residents under 18 years old, and also wanted the legislation to limit addictive features like autoplay on videos and infinite scrolling.
“Our children are losing the chance to cultivate essential social skills,” Youngkin <a href="https://x.com/TeamYoungkin/status/1735411843789910372">said</a>. “They are encountering cyberbullying and they’re isolated. There’s substantial distractions in schools, escalating depression, and sleep disorders. Tech companies promised to give people the power to build communities and bring the world closer together, but children are more lonely than ever.”
Other states have enacted similar legislation:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In California, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed a bill in 2024 that prohibits platforms from providing &#8220;addictive” social media feeds to minors without parental consent. It also restricts companies from sending notifications to minors during certain hours, like late-night hours on a school night.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill requiring social media companies to verify the age of users, and terminate accounts of kids under the age of 14. Fourteen and 15-year-olds can have accounts on social media if they have parental consent. If a company is found violating that law, it could face fines of up to $50,000 per violation.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Utah enforces a &#8220;social media curfew.” Minors there can’t access social media between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., unless a parent overrides that default setting.</li>
</ul>

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Morning Brief: Mexico Shields Cartels And Trump Tariffs Hollywood

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Matt Walsh is a man of many talents — a popular podcaster, a notable documentarian, a feared fisherman, and a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyrDtgjAgII" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surprisingly good</a> &#8220;Mortal Kombat&#8221; player. There is one persistent trait, however, that must be addressed: his passionate hatred of &#8220;Star Wars.&#8221;
I discovered Walsh’s animosity for &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; in May of 2023 while listening to his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1156-princeton-professor-tries-to-debunk-biology-fails-hilariously?elementPosition=155&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+Show+Episodes+Carousel">show</a>. After hearing I played a recently released &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; game, he looked dead into the camera and said he was “repulsed by (me) completely.” And then continued to call me a “complete and utter disgrace.” Harsh. 
Last Thursday, theaters nationwide <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIbYlxVpJnc/">launched</a> a week-long re-release of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” to celebrate the film&#8217;s 20th anniversary. The film stands out not only for its stunning cinematography, one of a kind soundtrack, and compelling life-lessons, but also as the final “Star Wars” entry before progressive-infused Disney’s acquisition.
Walsh, apparently, did not recognize the exceptional film for what it is. After taking his children to see it in theaters, he <a href="https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/1917266257956724823" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took</a> to X and attacked the movie.
I will now address his unfounded criticisms.
His first issue is with the film’s dialogue. Walsh claims “Revenge of the Sith” has “the worst dialogue he’s ever heard in a mainstream Hollywood film.” To support his claim, he quotes a romantic scene between Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala: 
<blockquote>Anakin: You’re so beautiful 
Padme: It’s only because I’m so in love
Anakin: No it’s because I’m so in love with you 
Walsh leaves out the second half of the scene, which reveals the lines are not poorly written, but instead an intentional foreshadowing of what is to come later in the film. The scene continues;
Padme: So love has blinded you?
Anakin: Well, that&#8217;s not exactly what I meant. 
Padme: But it’s probably true.</blockquote>
At this point in the film, Anakin believes his wife is going to die in childbirth because of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLb_k4Pz3CM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vision </a>he has in his sleep. As the primary antagonist, Emperor Palpatine (not Ovaltine) tells him that committing to the Dark Side is the only way to save her. This, and his blinding love for Padme, leads him to commit the atrocities he does later in the film. Pure genius from George Lucas, who Walsh claims should be arrested.
<div id="attachment_914885" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914885" class="size-large wp-image-914885" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1024x576.jpg" alt="Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-35-PM-7863-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved.</div>
Walsh’s next criticism of the film is that it has “abysmal action choreography.” To me, this attack is the most absurd. 
The final <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3OtoO5zjjU&amp;t=358s">fight</a> between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, master versus apprentice, is one of the most iconic fight scenes in cinema history. Numerous outlets such as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VpsG7JA-jc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WatchMojo</a>, <a href="https://screenrant.com/best-movie-sword-fights-ranked/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ScreenRant</a>, and <a href="https://movieweb.com/best-one-on-one-sword-fights-in-movies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MovieWeb</a> all rank the battle as one of the greatest sword fights in movie history. The fight was choreographed by legendary stuntman Nick Gillard, and is not sped up at all. Both actors trained relentlessly to master each move shown on camera.
<div id="attachment_914883" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914883" class="size-large wp-image-914883" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1024x576.jpg" alt="Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor. Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved. " width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/MixCollage-01-May-2025-04-30-PM-8822-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Lucasfilm, Ltd. All rights reserved.</div>
Walsh specifically attacks the final move of the duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin, saying the following;
<blockquote>Anakin jumps and flips through the air like Spider-Man but then at the end he loses because the other guy is standing on a small hill and has the higher ground. This was for some reason an insurmountable strategic advantage, even though Anakin had just seconds earlier leaped like 20 feet in the air while doing flips like an Olympic gymnast. So then Anakin decides to jump directly over top the other guy, close enough that he can just casually reach up and cut his legs off. He could have jumped anywhere else on the hill, or just a little higher, and avoided this issue.</blockquote>
Like many things Walsh has criticized in the film, the seemingly risky move Anakin used was intentional. Young Anakin Skywalker was fascinated by his master Obi-Wan’s triumph over Darth Maul in “Episode I: The Phantom Menace.” To defeat Maul, Obi-Wan <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsAEdblcqU4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flipped over him</a> and cut him in half upon landing.
When Anakin fights Obi-Wan, his pride and ego is at an all time high. He wants to prove to his once-master that he is now his superior. This is why moments before the final move, Anakin tells Obi-Wan, “You underestimate my power!”
Obi-Wan can sense Anakin is going to try his own move against him, so he offers one final warning, “Don’t try it.” Anakin did not listen, and ended up getting his legs cut off.
Walsh also criticized where the battle takes place, on a lava planet “for some reason.” He clearly suffers from a lack of knowledge in &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; lore. It’s the same reason he doesn’t understand why Anakin jumped over Obi-Wan.
The planet they fought on, Mustafar, is <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mustafar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> by Wookiepedia as “powerful in the Dark Side of The Force.” Palpatine sent Anakin there so he could tap into the Dark Side more intensely as he slaughtered the separatists who were awaiting him. In the 2017 comic Darth Vader 5, Palpatine <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Vader_(2017)_5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instructs</a> Vader to return to Mustafar because it “is not like other planets. It is unique. Deep beneath its surface rests a locus for the Dark Side of The Force.&#8221;
Vader was so drawn to the planet’s Dark Side power that seven years after “Revenge of the Sith,” he built his <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Fortress_Vader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">castle</a>, Fortress Vader, there. 
Walsh’s final objection to the film was that it “took itself too seriously.” He expands on this by claiming “You can’t be campy and fun and also have mass child slaughter in the same film.”
Most of Walsh&#8217;s criticisms come from a lack of looking beneath the surface, taking everything at face value. “Revenge of the Sith” was always meant to be lighthearted in the beginning, and tragic in the end. After nearly three decades of fans left without a backstory, the purpose of the movie was to show how Hollywood’s most iconic villain, Darth Vader, transformed from a cunning warrior for good, to the embodiment of evil.
Following the classic hero&#8217;s journey literary archetype, we witness Anakin’s lighthearted upbringing in Episodes 1 and 2, his tragic fall in the second half of Episode 3, and his eventual redemption in Episode 6. A story that George Lucas brilliantly wrote and produced over 3 decades.
Walsh’s tweet thread ends on a lighter note, expressing that despite all of his concerns, his kids liked it. To me and countless other fans who believe “Revenge of the Sith” is one of the greatest films ever made, we can only hope Matt Walsh will read this piece and watch it again with an open mind.
* * *
Jacob Falach is an associate producer at The Daily Wire. You can find him on Instagram at: @jacobfalach.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated Ray Park was the fight and stunt coordinator for the film. The actual fight and stunt coordinator for &#8220;Revenge of the Sith&#8221; was Nick Gillard.

Star Wars Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith Photocall In Japan

Why Matt Walsh Is Wrong About ‘Revenge Of The Sith’

Why Matt Walsh Is Wrong About 'Revenge Of The Sith'

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“Harry Potter” actors are making their position on the trans debate clear in the wake of the historic Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling that the definition of a woman is determined by biological sex.
Several celebrities from “Harry Potter” projects both past and present signed an open letter declaring their belief that the ruling was wrong.
Eddie Redmayne, star of the spin-off prequel franchise “Fantastic Beasts,” signed the letter, as did Paapa Essiedu, who will portray Severus Snape in the upcoming “Harry Potter” television adaptation from HBO. Katie Leung, an actress from the original films, also added her name to the document, per <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/media/article/harry-potter-actors-letter-trans-supreme-court-ruling-gc3hjxjqj">The Times of London</a>.
“We the undersigned film and television professionals stand in solidarity with the trans, nonbinary and intersex communities who have been impacted by the Supreme Court ruling on April 16,” the open letter says.
“We believe the ruling undermines the lived reality and threatens the safety of trans, non-binary and intersex people living in the UK,” it said. “Film and television are powerful tools for empathy and education, and we believe passionately in the ability of the screen to change hearts and minds. This is our opportunity to be on the right side of history.”
Redmayne, Essiedu, Leung and more than 2,000 other individuals added their names to the letter. Other celebrity signatories include “The Last of Us” star Bella Ramsey, “The Brutalist” actor and Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, and “Bridgerton” actress Nicola Coughlan.
Meanwhile, Rowling, who has been openly critical of the radical trans agenda for years, has been celebrating the Supreme Court ruling as a great victory.
“Think I might be having a cigar later,” Rowling shared on X April 16 after the ruling was handed down.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I love it when a plan comes together.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SupremeCourt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SupremeCourt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomensRights?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WomensRights</a> <a href="https://t.co/agOkWmhPgb">pic.twitter.com/agOkWmhPgb</a>
&mdash; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) <a href="https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1912644919103004807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“It took three extraordinary, tenacious Scottish women with an army behind them to get this case heard by the Supreme Court and, in winning, they’ve protected the rights of women and girls across the UK,” the billionaire “Harry Potter” author wrote in a follow-up later. “I’m so proud to know you.”
Leftist fans and trans activists were furious that Rowling would be involved in the upcoming TV adaptation, but HBO <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hbo-stands-by-j-k-rowling-despite-pressure-to-denounce-her-transgender-comments?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=HBO+Stands+By+J.K.+Rowling+Despite+Pressure+To+Denounce+Her+Transgender+Comments">released a statement</a> last fall confirming she would be involved despite the backlash.
“We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter — the heartwarming books that speak to power of friendship, resolve and acceptance,” the statement said. “J.K. Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”

Eddie Redmayne

‘Harry Potter’ Stars Sign Letter Supporting Trans Rights As JK Rowling Celebrates U.K. Court Ruling

'Harry Potter' Stars Sign Letter Supporting Trans Rights As JK Rowling Celebrates U.K. Court Ruling

Harry Potter

JK Rowling

United Kingdom

The Hollywood Resistance wasn’t ready for its close-up following the 2024 presidential election.
We didn’t even see starlets donning hats resembling a certain female body part. Trade publications like <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/hollywood-fears-trump-president-devastating-1236209319/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a> and <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/hollywood-trump-resistance-the-sequel-1236076420/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a> fretted that we might not endure a repeat of Hollywood’s posturing during the first Trump term.
Remember the first Trump term? Death wishes. Clunky documentaries. Comedy shows throwing satire to the side to smite the 45th president. And one ISIS-style photography shoot which pummeled a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/election-night-kathy-griffin-retweets-infamous-pic-of-her-with-trumps-severed-head" target="_blank" rel="noopener">D-list star’s career.</a>
Those fears have melted away in President Trump’s first 100 days in office. The Resistance is back and the worst is (likely) yet to come.
Late-night TV never stopped attacking President Trump. Most programs would consider President Joe Biden and his gaffe-tastic Vice President Kamala Harris fodder during the leader’s one term in office.
The jokes could write themselves. Instead, Colbert and co. pretended as if Trump had never left the Oval Office.
<div id="attachment_825621" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-825621" class="size-large wp-image-825621" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-2182289102-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK CITY - OCTOBER 17: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest during Thursday's October 17, 2024 show. (Photo by Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-2182289102-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-2182289102-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-2182289102-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/11/GettyImages-2182289102.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images</div>
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel greeted Trump’s re-election with literal tears, and it’s been the same ol’, same ol’ ever since. He referred to Trump administration officials as “animals” in an <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/jimmy-kimmel-trump-late-night-future-interview-1235315906/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unhinged Rolling Stone interview</a>. He also described his comedy platform as a place liberals can go to “scream” in Trump 2.0.
NBC’s Seth Meyers is openly advising the Democrats on how to win back the general public, <a href="https://x.com/alexchristy17/status/1917210840106680431" target="_blank" rel="noopener">throwing caution</a> (and comedy) to the wind:
<blockquote>Now is not the time to nitpick the messaging of other Democrats. Instead of critiquing someone else&#8217;s message, go out there and do your own thing and give voters the choice they were deprived of this last election. Take a cue from the ones who are actually going out there doing [bleep] and getting attention for it.</blockquote>
Amber Ruffin no longer has a late-night show to call her own. So she talked herself out of a gig hosting the White House Correspondents’ Association gala by <a href="https://variety.com/2025/politics/news/whca-drops-amber-ruffin-performance-dinner-1236351795/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sharing what she planned to say</a> on the dais. 
When asked if she would hit both sides of the political aisle, she said doing so would make Team Trump “feel like human beings … ‘cause they’re not.”
“Saturday Night Live” continues to hammer all things Trump while aggressively ignoring Democratic blunders, from throwing support to alleged gang members to goofy stunts like Sen. Cory Booker’s 25-hour filibuster.
<div id="attachment_914075" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914075" class="size-large wp-image-914075" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209610052-864x576.jpg" alt="SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- Episode 1881 -- Pictured: (l-r) Special guest Beck Bennett as Vladimir Putin and James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump during the &quot;White Lotus&quot; sketch on Saturday, April 12, 2025 -- (Photo by: Holland Rainwater/NBC via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209610052-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209610052-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209610052-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2209610052.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Holland Rainwater/NBC via Getty Images</div>
Comedian Bill Burr isn’t a political stand-up, but in recent years he’s called out both sides as he sees fit. Now, Burr is targeting Elon Musk, Trump’s right hand DOGE man across multiple platforms. Burr has blasted Musk as a Nazi and raged against billionaires, part of a new Democratic talking point that ignores their deep Soros family ties.
Other stars keep spreading fake Trump stories without fear of repercussion. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/01/amber-ruffin-comedian-white-house-correspondents-dinner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Both Ruffin</a> and “Hacks” star <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/hannah-einbinder-israel-massacre-palestinians-hrc-1236170941/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hannah Einbinder</a> pushed the “very fine people” hoax against Trump in recent weeks, earning zero pushback from Legacy Media outlets or so-called fact checkers.
Celebrities may seem a little less vocal in their anti-Trump posturing for one sober reason. Some decamped from X to Bluesky, the platform of choice for the modern Leftist. Now, when stars like “Two and a Half Men” alum Jon Cryer rage against Trump few people actually hear it.
That’s probably why some liberal stars like Stephen King left X only to come back to it weeks later. They were tired of screaming into the void, apparently.
Others use every available podium to decry President Trump.
Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar (“Bad Education”) used his speech at the 50th annual Chaplin award gala earlier this month to says Trump will, “<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/04/29/spanish-filmmaker-pedro-almodovar-trump-will-go-down-in-history-as-the-greatest-mistake-of-our-time/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Go down in history as the greatest mistake of our time.”</a> Director Steven Soderberg (“Black Bag”) only called the president a <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/entertainment/director-of-che-guevara-biopic-worries-trump-popularity-proves-audiences-have-been-rooting-for-movie-bad-guys-all-along/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“villain”</a> by comparison during a press opportunity.
It’s still a sin in Hollywood to treat President Trump as normal, let alone human. Comedian Bill Maher, one of the president’s loudest critics, made more enemies on the Left by breaking bread with the Commander-in-Chief.
Maher hasn’t pulled any punches since the sit down, but he also saw Trump as, gasp, human and said as much. That was too much for fellow comedian Larry David. The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star’s New York Times op-ed calling both <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/larry-david-whines-about-bill-maher-giving-donald-trump-a-chance-with-trite-hitler-comparison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump and Maher Nazis</a> spoke for many of the industry’s dwellers.
<div id="attachment_914179" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-914179" class="size-large wp-image-914179" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-30-Apr-2025-01-51-PM-1677-815x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Randy Holmes/BILL MAHER. Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Larry David." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-30-Apr-2025-01-51-PM-1677-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-30-Apr-2025-01-51-PM-1677-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-30-Apr-2025-01-51-PM-1677-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-30-Apr-2025-01-51-PM-1677-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-30-Apr-2025-01-51-PM-1677-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Credit: Randy Holmes/BILL MAHER. Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Larry David.</div>
Some celebrities insist President Trump will either lock them up or prevent them from returning to America. Rocker Neil Young, who famously tried to get Joe Rogan fired from Spotify during the pandemic, openly worries he won&#8217;t be able to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/apr/02/neil-young-fears-us-ban-donald-trump-criticism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tour the U.S</a>. if he temporarily leaves the country during Trump 2.0.
Stand-up comic Nikki Glaser, who rarely gets political, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/24/entertainment/nikki-glaser-worried-that-she-could-not-be-let-back-into-the-country-for-trump-jokes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared a similar fear</a>.
Others, like Patti LuPone, embrace big-picture worries, like <a href="https://variety.com/2025/legit/news/george-clooney-patti-lupone-surviving-trump-broadway-pay-1236374131/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">America won’t survive</a> a second Trump term.
What’s missing? Overtly anti-Trump project announcements. They may be in the works, but we’ve yet to hear of any major film or TV show dedicated to tackling Trump.
Screenwriters may work around the edges as part of their Resistance sequel. Take “Mountainhead,” a new satire from the creator of “Succession.” The Max original film, debuting May 31, follows four billionaires on vacation as they react to a global crisis from their posh retreat.
Will the movie be a “Smash the Oligarchy” event targeting the Elon Musks of the world? Perhaps. The film’s rush from production — which began in March — to release date teases just that.
Hollywood has nearly four more years to lash out at President Trump in all manner of forms. Chances are we’ll see new films or TV show tackling the 47th president directly. And, if past is prologue, the eye rolling will be epic.
* * *
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.

Saturday Night Live – Season 50

Hollywood Reacts To 100 Days Of Trump

actors

Bill Maher

comedian

Jimmy Kimmel

Larry David

Stephen Colbert

Television

Trump Administration

Actor Terrence Howard recently said he turned down the chance to star in a Marvin Gaye biopic because it might have required him to kiss another man.
The 56-year-old “Empire” star discussed his thoughts during an interview on “Club Random with Bill Maher.” 
Howard said he couldn’t sign on to play singer Smokey Robinson in the biopic because he was already considering playing Marvin Gaye in a different project. But then he changed his mind.
“I was over at Quincy Jones’ house and I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay,’ and I’m like, ‘Was he gay?&#8217; And Quincy’s like, ‘Yes,&#8217;” he told Maher. 
“They would’ve wanted to do that, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that,” Howard explained. Maher replied, “You mean you couldn’t kiss a guy on screen in a movie?” prompting the actor to say, “No. Because I don’t fake it. That would f*** me. I would cut my lips off. If I kissed some man, I would cut my lips off.”
“I can’t play that character 100 percent. I can’t surrender myself to a place that I don’t understand,” he added, saying, &#8220;It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man.”
Gaye was married to two women during his life and was not openly gay, but there has been speculation that he was attracted to men, and at least one of his marriages was an attempt to silence those accusations.
The recording artist had the nicknames &#8220;Prince of Motown&#8221; and &#8220;Prince of Soul&#8221; and is considered by some to be one of the greatest singers of all time. Gaye was born in 1939 and died in 1984 at the age of 44 after being shot and killed by his father while trying to break up a physical altercation between his parents.
Howard announced his second <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-the-end-terrence-howard-announces-second-retirement-from-acting">retirement from acting</a> in 2022. “I’ve been playing pretend for forever,” he shared at the time. “[There’s] no need to play pretend anymore. I’ve done my time.”
The actor was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 2006 for his role in “Hustle &amp; Flow.” He also appeared on the big screen in such movies as “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” “Dead Presidents,” “Who’s the Man,” and “Iron Man.”

Terrence Howard

Terrence Howard Turned Down Marvin Gaye Biopic Over The Possibility Of Having To Kiss A Man

Homosexuality

Actress Heather Graham, 55, said it’s “awesome” that more women aren’t having children, while also admitting that she sometimes questions her decision never to become a mother.
The “Austin Powers” star made the revelation during a recently published interview with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/apr/28/i-stopped-talking-to-my-parents-and-life-opened-up-heather-graham-on-family-ageing-and-creepy-film-makers">The Guardian</a>. 
“I think I’ve had moments where I wondered: what would it have been like if I had a kid? I guess I would say 80% of the time I feel glad I don’t have kids, and I feel free and really good about it, and maybe 20% of the time I wonder what would it be like. You just have to appreciate the life you have,” Graham said.
The actress said she respects women who decide not to have children. 
“I do think it’s awesome now that more women are expressing their desire to not have kids,” she added. “The culture says: ‘You need to have kids.’ But why? If you’re not being a people pleaser, what do you really want?”
Graham’s comments come as multiple reports show <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/31/health/fertility-births-vance.html">declining birth rates</a> in the United States and other countries, such as Japan.
The “Chosen Family” actress also said she’s been estranged from her “religious” family for 30 years because they disapproved of her Hollywood lifestyle. 
“I kind of became my own person and discovered: ‘What do I like? What do I want when I’m not under this very judgmental, authoritarian, parental, patriarchal structure? What do I want to do? What do I think of this?’” she told the outlet of cutting ties with her family around the time she was 17. 
“My father’s really religious, and they were, especially my father, very critical of everything I was doing. It didn’t feel like a healthy dynamic. I stopped talking to them and, I have to say, that was a huge relief. I felt like, at that moment, my life opened up with a freedom. I didn’t need to please them.”
Graham continued, “I feel like I wasn’t brought up to have a deep sense of self-esteem, and I think as I detached from my family, I built my own sense of self-esteem. Sort of like a detective, I went through my past and looked at how I developed certain ways of thinking that weren’t the healthiest, and basically just went on a journey to be happier.”
When asked if her family ever tried to contact her, the actress said an effort was made, but it was “very judgmental.”
She said they would say, “‘Let me give you the number of the priest and you can go to confession.’ I just think we’re really different. They have a lot of great qualities – it’s just not a healthy dynamic for me.”

Heather Graham

As Birth Rates Plummet, Actress Heather Graham Says It’s ‘Awesome’ More Women Don’t Want Kids

As Birth Rates Plummet, Actress Heather Graham Says It's 'Awesome' More Women Don't Want Kids

Children

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