Some of the best actors in the business are starting to get uncomfortable.
First, Matt Damon called conservative commentator Bill Kristol an “idiot,” who responded by challenging the “Bourne Identity” star to a debate.
So far, radio silence from Team Damon.
Now, “Che” star Benicio del Toro is feeling some heat for his political views.
The actor walked out of an interview with The Washington Times last week regarding his new film, “Che,” about the life of Che Guevara. Seems the Oscar winner didn’t like trying to defend a film which glorifies a killer.
I’m not surprised.
Journalists rarely challenge an actor’s political statements. I can defend journalists up to a point. Often, the time period given for such interviews is tight, so a reporter might skimp on a follow-up question to save time for other queries.
So actors aren’t accustomed to defending their positions. It’s why they love making political statements at award shows. They can share their thoughts with millions and no one’s there to take them to task for what they have to say.
But now, with the alternative media growing and reporters like The Washington Times’ Sonny Bunch willing to ask tough questions, that might be changing.
UPDATE: Let’s see Jessica Alba go on The O’Reilly Factor and find out how she fares against someone she’s so eager to name call.
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I'm an award-winning journalist and film critic with more than a decade of experience in newspapers, magazines and the Web. I'm a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association and the Denver Film Critics Society.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ll always be proud of my time as a political reporter at The Washington Times, and today is an especially good day to boast. I urge Christian’s readers to click on the WashTimes link and read the whole thing. The scope of del Toro’s willful ignorance and state of denial is almost breathtaking. I almost spit out my coffee reading this line:
No, Benny. There’s a difference between “capital punishment” and “summary political executions.” Good to know that you have a problem with Che’s “dark side.” Too bad you had to conflate it with America’s death penalty.
I also love how as he was getting up to storm out, del Toro told Sonny Bunch “write whatever you want.” He did. He wrote the truth.
It’s just more evidence on why these actors need to just STFU and act. That’s why they are there, to entertain us not spew garbage on issues they have no clue about.
What’s the saying? “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.”
Why did it take so long for a reporter, any reporter, to call del Toro out on his approval of a killer, a man who loved to hate, someone whose legacy is nothing to celebrate??
Sonny did a great job … he just asked him some questions that put the Oscar winner in a position he’s rarely in … defending the indefensible.
Too many of these handsome, talented actors have received such inadequate educations. Their shallow knowledge on most important subjects is often too easily exposed. del Toro is a very talented, handsome, ignorant, narcissistic, shallow, silly man. Reminds me of the “I may not be a doctor, but I played one on TV” line. I may not be a revolutionary, but I played one in a film.
Celebrities have every right to espouse their views just like anyone else. However, unlike anyone else, while they may jabber their political opinions they’re never put in a position of having to defend them. No one ever calls them out on their views to their face and the celebs avoid like the plague going anywhere, or talking to anyone who doesn’t share their opinion.
Del Toro’s response to being challenged is exactly what 99% of them do if put in the same situation, run away.
True, Opus. They’re none too eager to debate … they prefer lecturing.
Where are the editors?! If there is going to be an assumed social contract between the celebrity flacking something and the interviewer encouraging the flacking, then simply state it at the outset: the following “interview” is an advert for the feature, “____”. Otherwise, permit the (few remaining actual) journalist to practice journalism. ANY public figure, but especially these undereducated, over-exposed Hollywood types, should be challenged. Free speech is not equal to free not to be challenged, indeed. And frankly, my eyes may stop glazing over the next celebrity interview if I knew that real news reporting would take place.
~ Dagnabbitt
I just happened to watch he and Cassey Affleck in this movie where they were walking around the desert for two hours. I was working on writing a couple articles so it was a nice quiet background. I can’t remember the name of the movie, but I wouldn’t show my face in public if I had made it. It was ridiculous and that’s probably being too kind.
These guys are so full of themselves it kind of gives me a stomach ache if I think about it too long… but then I just remember “Team America” and feel so much better.
I still like Damon as Bourne, but he should keep his mouth shut.
It makes me think of that famous quote about how it’s better to remain quiet and be thought an idiot than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.
It’s funny to me how a person, whose job is to pretend to be other people, think the rest of us gives a hoot what they are thinking. Just because an actor comes up with a character with some sense does not make it so for the actor.
Remember, actors and actresses are professional liars. That what they’re paid to convincingly do.
There’s certainly an arrogance there, Holly … but blame also goes to the journalists who egg the actors on. Many times an actor simply wants to talk about his or her project, but then they get an Obama or Bush question and they let their guard down.
One question I think would be pertinent for the people who worked on this film; How would Che want to you guys to split the profits?
I have so many on my “do not want to watch” list it’s not even funny. Even ones I used to like, like Tom Hanks… Sad really, like someone else said, STFU.. Or Shut Up and ACT..
Actors spend their entire lives in the study of emotion. Their lives revolve around tapping into their feelings, not their intellect, and not logic. They feel things about issues often without thinking them through. They also envelop themselves in drama, which is why the so often use such dramatic hyperbole when they talk politics. Actors also spend their lives in pursuit of being liked and popular, which explains why so many (though not all) wrap themselves in the popular liberalism of their peers and never question those beliefs.
Good one, Franco. A great question, cleverly crafted.
Liberals are only as far out as they are in hollywood because they never spend any time having to actually defend their positions, statements or ideals out there in the arena of ideas. They don’t debate people who disagree with them and they only appear to be public pronouncements in places where they will never be challenged.
It’s an echo chamber. If they had to face opposition, their ideas would be less nutty and they would make less retarded like ‘9/11 was an inside job’.