22 Comments
User's avatar
Donna Carrillo Lopez's avatar

Very disturbing that these young actors are ahistorical and don’t comprehend the metaphoric significance of their travel to a country with an unusually sordid history.

Sara's avatar

Even worse if they do and went anyway.

Arkansas Blue's avatar

Hey, to greedy people money is never dirty, no matter where it comes from.

Sharyn NT's avatar

Anthony Hopkins, Juliette Binoche, Michael Caine, Sigourney Weaver? Say it ain't so! And then the list of past attendees also breaks my heart: Emily Blunt, Ava Longoria, Michael Douglas? That these actors would compromise their values and morals for a buck is beyond me. It feels really grim indeed, Dakota.

bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

The lesson that I take from this article is that I won't take any of these performers seriously when they express opinions on any political issue.

DW's avatar

I guess my list of actors whose films I will no longer watch has increased.

KnockKnockGreenpeace's avatar

Mel Gibson has company.

John Arrighi's avatar

Thank you to the Contrarian, and to Meredith Blake, for covering this the way it should be covered.

KnockKnockGreenpeace's avatar

Thanks for the report, Meredith.

Susan Friend's avatar

It's the Age of Trump, where greed is lauded and money overcomes any and all hesitation. MBS is invited into the Oval Office where trump declares the Saudi crown prince knew nothing about the Kashoggi murder (despite ordering it) and besides, "things happen." Morals, ethics and even the ability to be shamed are increasingly rare.

Marc Panaye's avatar

The bone saw prince is throwing oil cash around and the suckers thirsty for the green stuff gladly oblige.

Punkette's avatar

I wonder if any Hollywood celebs refused to go.

Andrea Weiss's avatar

I'm reminded of UK punk band The Stranglers after reading this, with their song Get A Grip On Yourself, "but the money's so good, just get e grip on yourself." in Saudi Arabia.

JDV's avatar

Spike Lee? Didn't he direct Do the Wrong Thing?

Pam Birkenfeld's avatar

Just like the professional golfers, the lure of the green in their case wasn’t the grass it was the dirty money from the oil kings.

Nay's avatar

And a murderer.

Kim Sherwood's avatar

It's hard to believe how entangled and entwined the corruption is as you laid it out here, Meredith. Thanks for your insightful reporting about yet anther way the regime is serving their own interests (and those of participants) while undercutting America is this unlikely, unimaginable way.

JDV's avatar

Anthony Hopkins is the only honest one of the lot. Despite being an acknowledge cipher, he's still a lout like the rest though. Hopkins once said:

People ask me questions about present situations in life, and I say, “I don’t know, I’m just an actor. I don’t have any opinions. Actors are pretty stupid. My opinion is not worth anything. There’s no controversy for me, so don’t engage me in it, because I’m not going to participate.”

https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/anthony-hopkins-talks-to-brad-pitt-about-movies-mortality-and-mistakes

Nay's avatar

Talk about hypocrisy!!!