Mel Gibson has admitted that he “was just as surprised” as everyone else when he heard that Donald Trump had named him as one of his “Special Ambassadors” to Hollywood.
The Mad Max star, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight were named the three Trump-supporting actors chosen by the president-elect to “bring back Hollywood”, which he called a “great but very troubled place.”
“They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday (16 January).
“These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest,” he added. “It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!”
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The positions are not official government positions and, as Hollywood is part of the US, it’s unclear exactly what the three will do as “special ambassadors”. It should be noted that special ambassadors and envoys are typically chosen to respond to troubled hot spots like the Middle East, not California.
Speaking to Variety, the 69-year-old, who has been a vocal supporter of Trump, said that he learnt the news at the same time as everyone else.
“I got the tweet at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised. Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can. Any chance the position comes with an Ambassador’s residence?” Gibson told the publication.
Stallone emerged as a Trump supporter after the election, calling the next president “a mythical character” and his election win a feat that nobody else “in the world could have pulled off”.
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Voight – an outspoken Republican and Trump supporter – has previously pushed conspiracy theories and compared Joe Biden to “Satan”.
US film and television production has been hampered in recent years, with setbacks from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Hollywood guild strikes of 2023 and, in the past week, the ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
There have recently been discussions as to whether this year’s Oscar ceremony should be cancelled due to the wildfires.
Several celebrities have lost their homes, including socialite Paris Hilton,When Harry Met Sally actor Billy Crystal and The Hills stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. At least 27 people have died, including former child star Rory Sykes, with the official death toll expected to rise.
An announcement for the Oscars nominations was delayed for a second time and rearranged to take place virtually on 23 January instead. The Academy also cancelled its annual nominees luncheon, and said it would honour frontline workers and support relief efforts.
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