Angelina Jolie has expressed profound concern over the state of free speech in the United States, stating, “I don’t recognise my country” amidst perceived threats to personal expression and freedoms. Speaking at Spain’s San Sebastián film festival while promoting her new film, Jolie emphasized her international perspective, noting, “My worldview is equal, united and international. Anything anywhere that divides or limits personal expressions and freedoms from anyone, I think, is very dangerous.” She further added, “These are such serious times that we have to be careful not to say things casually. These are very, very heavy times we are living in together.”

Jolie’s comments arrived just days after the indefinite suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” by ABC, owned by Disney. The suspension followed criticism from Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, regarding Kimmel’s remarks about the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting. Kimmel had stated, “The MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” The decision to suspend the show was reportedly made by Disney CEO Bob Iger and Disney’s head of television Dana Walden.

This move sparked widespread dissent among prominent figures in Hollywood, many of whom have strong ties to Disney. Mark Ruffalo, known for his role as the Hulk in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), voiced his strong disapproval on Threads, suggesting Disney’s stock would “go down a lot further if they cancel” Kimmel’s show permanently. Ruffalo also stated, “Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.” In a separate video for an anti-Trump protest, Ruffalo explicitly linked the situation to government overreach, asserting, “It is the US government that is now suppressing the freedom of speech… authoritarian regimes, fascist regimes have to degrade our freedoms more and more over time until we’re living the smallest, the most frightened, the most secretive lives.”

Other Disney-affiliated stars also rallied in support of Kimmel and free speech. Pedro Pascal, who has starred in Disney projects, posted on Instagram, “standing with” Kimmel and urging to “Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY.” Tatiana Maslany, who plays She-Hulk in the MCU, called on her followers to “cancel” their Disney+ subscriptions. Hollywood showrunner Damon Lindelof, creator of the ABC series “Lost,” pledged he would not work with Disney+ again if Kimmel was not reinstated, calling the suspension “shocked, saddened and infuriated.” Olivia Rodrigo, who rose to fame on Disney shows, expressed her distress over “this blatant censorship and abuse of power.” Dan Gilroy, an Emmy winner for his writing on the Disney+ show “Andor,” drew parallels between the show’s depiction of a “fascist takeover” and contemporary American politics, stating that “Donald Trump’s tools of governance, coercion and intimidation, have found focus on Hollywood.”

Angelina Jolie, 50, has a long-standing history of political and international activism. She previously served as a special envoy for the United Nations’ refugee aid agency from 2012 to 2022 and has engaged with the organization since 2001. Her activism includes visiting the White House in 2021 to support the Violence Against Women Act and attending state dinners. Jolie has openly denounced Donald Trump’s policies in the past, famously writing in an op-ed for The New York Times, “We must never allow our values to become the collateral damage of a search for greater security. Shutting our door to refugees or discriminating among them is not our way, and does not make us safer.” Interestingly, her father, Jon Voight, is a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, creating a notable political contrast within her family.