When “Stranger Things” actor David Harbour said “We are united in that we are all human beings and we are all together on this horrible, painful, joyous, exciting and mysterious ride that is being alive,” he wasn’t addressing the entertainment industry. Surrounded onstage by the complete cast of “Stranger Things,” Harbour brought attention to the current state of the United States under President Donald Trump and what the future can bring. Celebrities have been using their fame and screen time during the highly televised awards season to speak out about the actions taken by Trump during his singular week in office. These statements mostly addressed Trump’s executive order that bans travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
During the Screen Actors Guild Awards Sunday evening, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mahershala Ali, Taraji Henson and others joined Harbour in his crusade to bring light to highly offensive actions taken by Trump, according to an article from The New York Times. The stars advocated for unity throughout our country, despite factors that differentiate us. The ceremony became political from Ashton Kutcher’s opening statements about airport protests. Many other celebrated actors reiterated his sentiments.
Celebrities have an opportunity and platform that most people do not. They have their time in the spotlight and get the chance to talk on air about topics that we can only confer with peers about. Those who are well-versed in politics have a responsibility to get as close to this issue as they can. Our democracy enables us to speak our minds as long as we do not promote opinions as the concrete truth. Celebrities have as much of a right as anyone else to speak for or against political events occurring every day. We applaud them for taking the time to express their concerns for the state of our country and the world, just as we would respect actors who would support Trump with reasonable argument.
The SAG Awards were able to stand out because these actors decided to use their Hollywood roles to create a voice for themselves, for those oppressed by Trump and his administration. Celebrities should take advantage of the chance to address the public through a national platform. It’s commendable to see these figures discuss such serious issues during their acceptance speeches rather than expressing gratitude for their families, their staff and whoever else contributed to their level of success.
Actors are influencers. Their words, actions, social media posts and even choice of purse have sway over part of our population that follows their lives. When celebrities start to talk about issues, fans stay informed. Their statements are a way to raise awareness and engage a wider audience who isn’t normally politically engaged. At this time especially, all people are expected to have a platform, even celebrities. By choosing the stage to express that platform, celebrities are moving audiences to think about and reflect on current events.
By condemning Trump’s actions, many worry that celebrities will only further deepening the divide between two sides of the political spectrum — their words, though advocating for a better America, polarize the left rather than make change. Though all award ceremonies this season have had some type of political element, the SAG Awards drove the idea that everyone believes Trump and his ban on immigration are unacceptable, which may make people tune out to the program in general. Fans don’t want to think that celebrities are only trying to push their own political agendas.
The SAG Awards seems to have been played on an uneven field. Every celebrity who spoke of our new America spun a negative web of emotion about our president, which is absolutely not reflective of Hollywood as a whole. Many celebrities came out in support of the president during his campaign trail and are now being overpowered by liberal voices. Trump supporters don’t want to see these kinds of statements and probably won’t subscribe to the program. Politically salient speeches such as these are a part of the reason he is president.
The lines between politics, arts, sports and business have blurred. Perhaps there was a distinct separation between these realms in the past, but recent events have made politics applicable in every facet of American life. Not all news surrounds politics, but many stories are politically charged. Trump has infiltrated all interests and parts of American life. It only makes sense that this influence seeps into an award ceremony, where proud declarations and pleas for peace are abundant.
