Activism amongst celebrities has always been a divisive topic. In recent years, this often gets roped into the equally controversial topic of politics within entertainment in general. Since the first Trump administration term, there has been a growing push to limit or get rid of politics within popular media entirely. While most of these talking points have remained regulated to internet forums and social media, their discussion has grown loud enough that most people can find it difficult to ignore.
Oftentimes, whenever a celebrity is vocal about a cause, people are quick to assume their actions are either tone-deaf or being done for ulterior motives. Campaigning for certain causes is an easy way to score clout and praise from general audiences and help their influence grow. While celebrity bad actors in activism aren’t an impossible thing, to completely disregard any positivity they can bring is short-sighted and even dangerous.
Celebrity activism can have a massive impact on political causes. Taylor Swift’s Eras tour can be pointed to as a shining example of how far activism of her caliber can go. During her Eras tour, Taylor Swift used that event to indirectly inspire fans to get engaged in their elections, despite maintaining a largely politically neutral atmosphere. Swift mainly left any political comments off the stage and used her social media as a hub for information specifically for the 2024 election. This was a great opportunity to encourage much of her Gen Z audience to participate in politics.
However, not every celebrity needs to do big events to make their activism known; simply saying who and what they support on camera can be enough. Mark Ruffalo, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, and more are among many actors and actresses who have made known their political stances against causes against Israel, and the actions of ICE within the United States. Oftentimes, these celebrities have left productions when their ideologies don’t align and have gained favor from fans, even more so due to how committed they are to their views.
Celebrity activism works incredibly well when done right, but that fact can also be a double-edged sword depending on the cause.
