Two weeks ago, millions of people tuned in to watch the 98th annual Oscars. Record sweeps by Sinners, One Battle After Another, and even K-Pop Demon Hunters were almost expected – yet this year’s ceremony still left me surprised.
Michael B Jordan finally won his first Oscar for best actor, while Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman of color to win the category for best cinematography. But what shocked me the most was the lack of outwardly political statements by actors throughout the evening.
While documentaries like “Mr. Nobody Against Putin” and “All the Empty Rooms” were notable wins of the evening highlighting issues of dictatorship and gun violence amongst teens, the frequency of celebrities using their time onstage to protest social issues has noticeably dwindled as this awards season has dragged on.
During Ricky Gervais’ opening monologue from the 77th Annual Golden Globes in 2020, the cynical host left half of the audience absolutely gobsmacked when he started his opening monologue by calling out Hollywood’s complacency in problematic social issues. Most notably, he highlighted how actors would jump at the chance to work for streaming services like Apple TV, Disney, and Amazon despite knowing their problematic histories with human rights violations worldwide.
He concluded his speech by saying, “If you do win an award tonight, don’t use it as a platform to make a political speech. You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything. You know nothing about the real world… So if you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, and your God, and b***r off.”
While this garnered a few hesitant laughs from the audience, it brought to light a serious debate about the role that celebrity activism plays in fighting for social justice.
In my opinion, silence makes just as powerful of a statement as expression – if not more so. With celebrities being in such a visible position of influence, it seems to me like they have a moral responsibility to use their platforms to ignite change.
In fact, a study done by Wharton researchers found that celebrity-endorsed products result in a massive increase in confidence and quick decision making among consumers. As the study states, this is becase when fans see an artist with whom they feel they can identify with using their platform for activism, they, too, may feel more interested in a certain issue.
Public figures vocalizing their political stances is nothing new. When Marlon Brando won the Oscar for Best Actor in 1973, he refused the award, instead sending activist Sacheen Littlefeather in his place to protest of the treatment of Indigenous people in the United States. Meanwhile, Audrey Hepburn serves as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) ambassador from 1988 until 1993, working to advocate for children’s rights.
Rosario Dawson and George Clooney have been arrested for demonstrating against George W Bush and the Sudanese government respectively. Muhammad Ali and Eartha Kitt’s opposition to the Vietnam War nearly derailed their careers. Meanwhile, actors like Jane Fonda have been prominent activists for social change since the 1970s.
Now, there is some validity to what Gervais said. Sometimes, it may seem like celebrities are so out of touch with the real world that their activism seems more like a PR stunt than a display of genuine compassion. For example, both Leonardo DiCaprio and Taylor Swift have been criticized for protesting while simultaneously frequenting the use of their private jets and superyachts for travel.
But some stars are proving that this isn’t always the case.
Actors like Ms. Rachel, Mark Ruffalo, Hannah Einbinder, Wanda Sykes, Bill Nye, John Boyega, and most recently, Javier Bardem, have not only been vocal onstage, but off, actively attending protests and charity benefits for their respective causes outside of the limelight.
Meanwhile, various musical artists like Paramore, Clairo, and Lorde have geo-blocked access to their music in Israel to protest the continued genocide of Palestinians by Israeli forces while others like Olivia Rodrigo, Bruce Springsteen, and Arctic Monkeys are using their talent to fundraise for rights of children across the world.
Public figures are vital for drawing attention to social issues and ensuring that they stay relevent in social discourse. As the world becomes increasingly polarized, celebrities will be faced with an increasing pressure to speak out on one political issue or another.
Regardless of what you think of them, those who do speak up are doing so at great risk to their careers, and that courage should be applauded. And despite their seemingly heightened public status, political advocacy highlights one of the most deeply human characteristics in us all: empathy.
So, to those people –however big or small– that choose to speak out on issues they care about: Thank you. Your bravery does not go unnoticed. Because caring for others is a duty that should fall on us all.