Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.dailykos.com
Right-wing media figure Ben Shapiro has been trying to get his conservative-coded film projects off the ground for quite some time, but his most recent cast lineup was a plot twist many didn’t see coming.
In a Tuesday X post, the far-right commentator announced his latest Daily Wire-produced film, “Confession,” a historical drama that Shapiro says examines “the evils of communism” featuring known actors like James Franco, Rob Lowe, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Nick Nolte.
At first glance, the high-profile names might be a head-scratcher, but there’s some rhyme to this reason.
While their names might be recognizable, the controversies that have followed some of these actors have made staying booked in Hollywood quite the feat.
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When news broke of Franco’s alleged sexual misconduct in 2021, work became more of a rarity for the then-huge star.
And while Academy Award nominee Nolte’s controversies—ranging from a felony charge to a settled statutory rape lawsuit—date back further, the actor has carried that baggage all the same.
The same goes for Lowe, who might be the better off out of the bunch when it comes to recent work opportunities, including the Fox series “9-1-1: Lone Star.” Then again, he has a sex scandal involving a minor in his past.
Now, we hate to chalk up actors accepting questionable work to the accusations floating around in their pasts, but there seems to be a theme here.
Jonathan Majors, who once had a promising career rising up the ranks in Marvel films and the like, saw it all come crumbling down when he was convicted of misdemeanor third-degree assault and second-degree harassment.
But when Hollywood turns its back, Shapiro is there to take these fallen stars in.
Last month, the Shapiro-produced “Run Hide Fight: Infidels” was announced with Majors as the lead. Naturally, the reaction to the film critics dubbed anti-Islam propaganda was sour.
Legendary Latino character actor Danny Trejo has also joined Shapiro’s casting stable, and his role in a pro-ICE film has many fans feeling betrayed.
“Pawn Shop” takes place in Minneapolis and tells a story about civil unrest amid immigration raids, mirroring the horrific deportation push that took place there in January and led to federal agents shooting and killing two protesters.
Harvey Keitel is also on the film’s call sheet, but Trejo appears to be the only actor regretting his association with Shapiro’s conservative film venture. His son claims the “Machete” star wasn’t aware of the film’s overall message or the man behind it when he signed on.
“I am a proud Mexican who has always been and will always be a supporter of my community. I am also obviously pro-immigrant,” the actor wrote via Instagram. “I am not pro-ICE. I know where I come from and I know our struggles.”
His son Gilbert defended the actor, claiming that he had to explain to his father who Shapiro was and that the actor will be sued for breach of contract if he quits or speaks out against the film.
“It’s fucked up,” Gilbert wrote in a since-expired Instagram story post. “He’s handcuffed to this stupid project, and swaths of people have instantly turned their back on him without knowing any of the facts.”
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Hollywood is struggling, with more than 42,000 jobs lost in the past two years. The American film industry is in need of a lifeline.
And it looks like these former A-listers are turning to Shapiro’s fledgling conservative media empire to help pay their bills.
We’ll get straight to the point: The financial hardships that Daily Kos is facing this year are tough.
We continue to be paywall-free. We continue to be supported by our readers, not billionaires or corporations. But we need to bring in more revenue. We are leaning on our community more than ever to help make ends meet.
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