Actor and filmmaker Billy Bob Thornton criticized Hollywood’s political posturing during awards shows, saying celebrities should refrain from lecturing audiences about their views.
Appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the 70-year-old actor expressed frustration with fellow entertainers who use televised ceremonies to promote political agendas instead of focusing on their work.
“It’s like Ricky Gervais said … ‘come up here, accept your little award, and f**k off,’” Thornton said, referencing Gervais’ 2020 Golden Globes monologue that took aim at the film industry’s tendency to mix politics with entertainment.
“Unless you have really studied stuff and know about a subject fully,” Thornton added, “who the hell would want to listen to an actor or musician talk about politics? Are we supposed to follow this? If we are, what if they lead you down the wrong road?”
Thornton said that many celebrities mistakenly believe fame qualifies them to speak authoritatively on political or social issues.
He argued that the public’s attention at entertainment events should remain on artistic work rather than partisan commentary.
A self-described “radical moderate,” Thornton said he is disillusioned with both major political parties and believes most Americans share a desire for common sense leadership.
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“I just look at what makes sense and I think we need a common sense party in this country,” he said.
“That’s actually what I think we need. Just figure it out. It’s pretty easy to figure out what this is all about.”
The Landman star also said he has grown increasingly indifferent toward Hollywood’s awards circuit, describing it as a predictable cycle of self-promotion.
“I donate to a lot of charities, mainly children’s stuff, but nobody knows it. I don’t go to the awards show and talk about it when I’m getting my award,” he said.
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Billy Bob Thornton rips into Hollywood actors who constantly talk about politics. pic.twitter.com/RTEkOpCsrE
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“I’ve won a couple recently. But these days I just look at it as like, ‘Oh, OK, we’re gonna go over here and, you know, have some dry chicken breast and green beans, you know, and we’ll listen to people get up there and pontificate about how awesome they are.’”
Thornton said celebrities should focus on the purpose of the award event and avoid unrelated causes.
“There is a time and place for that … you should just stick to what it is,” he said.
“Don’t go up there and talk about saving the badgers in Wisconsin or something, you know what I’m saying? And people would argue and say, ‘Well, no, because I have a voice and because everybody knows me. This is a great platform for me to put this out there.’”
He added that real influence requires more than symbolic gestures.
“Well, how about this? If you have a billion dollars, and you want to save the badgers, f**king save them,” he said.
“I mean, you got plenty of money to save the badgers, trust me. That is not, that’s barely gonna cut into your budget.”
Thornton’s comments echo growing criticism of Hollywood’s tendency to blend entertainment with political activism.
His remarks, made during a long-form discussion with host Joe Rogan, reflect his broader frustration with the industry’s disconnect from everyday audiences and his preference for straightforward authenticity over performative advocacy.
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