Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
The rumors about why Donald Trump won the presidency started mere hours after the media announced his victory. Theories about how and why ranged from political to socio-economic. But actress Zoe Saldana thinks part of the blame lies with one group: Hollywood.
In an interview with French news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP), Saldana, who starred as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, stated, “we got cocky and became arrogant, and we also became bullies.” It is likely Saldana is referencing the lampooning Trump took at the hands of celebrities leading up to the election, from Alec Baldwin of SNL to Trevor Noah of The Daily Show. Saldana added that “we were trying to single out a man for all these things he was doing wrong, and that created empathy in a big group of people in America that felt bad for him and that are believing in his promises.”
This statement has caused a backlash among Saldana’s fans, with many of them addressing her directly on Twitter. Many are disappointed that Saldana is essentially sticking up for a man they feel is a bully himself. A smaller group claim they will boycott all of her future movies. On the other side of the fence, some conservatives applaud her statement and fully support her stance.
Some stars, like Mark Wahlberg and Nicole Kidman, agree with her. Wahlberg himself released a statement to Task & Purpose magazine that mirrored Saldana’s: “A lot of Hollywood is living in a bubble. They’re pretty out of touch with the common person, the everyday guy out there providing for their family.”
Since the controversy erupted, Saldana herself has remained quiet on social media. While you can attribute much of this to her busy workload, as the actress is shooting back-to-back sci-fi movies, it’s also likely she is just waiting for the controversy to die down. Saldana has said her piece on the matter and understands that it’s not wise to add fuel to the fire during this intense political climate.
Like the election itself, Saldana’s statement has seemed to divided the nation in two. It’s unlikely the controversy will follow her for an extended period, though, especially given that this presidential cycle is just warming up; there will likely be much worse things to discuss in the coming months. While Saldana is currently the subject of discussion on both sides of the fence, her starring role in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 this summer will likely overshadow the current controversy.
