Celebrities Bring Politics to Their Platforms

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Under the Trump administration, several political decisions have caught the attention not only of people across the nation but also of people around the world, celebrities included. Whether it concerns the use of their music by musicians, or the messages of their movies by directors and actors, figures in the entertainment industry have not remained silent about the political actions carried out by the Trump administration. 

In fact, recently, 122 artists have signed an open letter, petitioning to close an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Dilley, Texas, which is owned by a private corporation and primarily holds families and children. 

Variety reported that industry names, such as Mark Ruffalo, Madonna, Pedro Pascal, America Ferrera, and Jane Fonda, have signed the letter. Other popular figures include actress and activist Alyssa Milano, who helped spark the #MeToo movement; Ayo Edebiri; Ben Stiller; Constance Wu; Elizabeth Banks; Gracie Abrams; Javier Bardem; Keke Palmer; Nicola Coughlan; and Renee Rapp. 

The letter, recently endorsed by ActionAid, states that “Children held in immigration detention endure trauma, neglect and conditions that violate basic standards of health, safety, dignity and human rights. The harms of detaining children are known and well documented.” 

In February, the New York Times reported that there have been mass child detentions since President Trump’s return to the White House, while detainees have raised concerns about poor conditions at the facilities. The letter expands on some of these conditions, stating, “Court filings of abuse against children have included refusals to provide clean water, rotten food contaminated with worms, dangerous medical neglect, sleep deprivation, denial of legal counsel, the separation of children from their families, and retaliation against families protesting the inhumane conditions.” 

For many of the artists who signed the letter, speaking about political and social issues isn’t new. Mark Ruffalo, for example, has actively used his social media to advocate for many issues. Most recently, he partnered with actors Penn Badgley and Rainn Wilson to urge the immediate release of Peyvand Naimi, arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and accused of promoting unrest during the January protests in Iran. 

Similarly, Irish actress Nicola Coughlan, known for her role in Netflix’s Bridgerton, has also used her fame to speak out on numerous matters, including calling for a ceasefire between Palestine and Israel and advocating for many other issues in the UK and Ireland. 

The list of signees also includes preschool teacher and YouTube star Ms. Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Accurso and is known for her educational videos. Accurso has a history of using her videos and social media to advocate for children, having also called for a ceasefire in the Middle East. Now, she’s using her platform to help children stay in school and out of ICE detention. The letter she signed on to states, “Children belong in schools and on playgrounds, not in detention centers.” 

Bringing politics into the entertainment industry as a whole is not a new phenomenon either. Over the years, artists have used their acceptance speeches at award shows to speak on issues within the country. For example, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish called out ICE in their Grammys speeches, while others spoke on a range of other topics. Similarly, those in the movie industry commented on several political and social matters during the Oscars. 

Other recent entertainment and political intersections include Olivia Rodrigo’s recent release of a music video about childhood during conflict, filmed by children from Palestine, Ukraine, Yemen, and Sudan. This past weekend, celebrities including Jimmy Kimmel and Bruce Springsteen joined the No Kings protests. 

Simultaneously, many athletes are also advocating for political and social change. For example, WNBA player Breanna Stewart and former U.S. women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe also signed the letter. 

More generally, WNBA players recently won a deal that includes increased pay and other fair treatment provisions. Additionally, former NFL players condemned the White House for using their highlights to promote the Iran War. On the global level, Iran’s men’s soccer team wore black armbands and held backpacks during the opening of their game in Turkey to honor the approximately 175 lives lost during the bombing of a girls’ school early in the war. 

Therefore, while many people are just now paying attention to celebrities’ political and social advocacy, the intersection between the industries is not new. In fact, those who signed the letter intend to continue to fight for the changes they want. 

“We urge the federal government and CoreCivic to close the Dilley facility immediately, return children and families to the homes and communities they were taken from, and to end child imprisonment now,” the letter concluded. “Our commitment does not end with closure. We demand transparency, accountability, and systemic reforms to prevent these abuses from happening anywhere in the United States.”