I have never seen Gabriel Basso act in anything. Wait, no, scratch that. IMDb is telling me he’s in Juror #2 which I just watched on Max. I had to look it up to remember that he played the defendant, but to be fair, it was a lackluster movie. These days, Basso is most well-known for leading Netflix’s The Night Agent, as well as having starred as JD Vance in the 2020 film adaptation of Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. About a month ago, Basso hyped the second season of Night Manager by talking about how he’s ready to leave acting, he dislikes the public influence of film & TV (aka his industry) and he thinks the federal form of government is illegitimate, but he’s not a political person. Well, just in case you didn’t get the message the first time, Basso reaffirmed his ‘actors should not be political or influential’ ethos on the Great Company podcast. To frame the context, the podcast is set up around Basso painting the host’s portrait, which Basso begins by saying “I’m gonna start with what I know, which is black and white. That’s how I see the world.”
“I don’t believe that actors should be famous,” Basso said while on the “Great Company” podcast on January 31, after being asked if he enjoyed the fame that came from starring in the popular Netflix series.
The actor spoke out against celebrities who use their platform to deliver political messages, saying this went far beyond the scope of their job.
“We’re saying words that we’re told to say,” he began. “We’re told how to say them, we’re told where to stand. And then we’re telling people how to vote?” he mocked.
“Dude, your job is illegitimate in that way… Like you should be quiet, you should do your job. You should be a jester, entertain people. Then shut the f— up,” he continued.
“We’re court jesters. We’re entertaining. We’re public servants. We’re there to perform, to entertain,” he added. “And then all of a sudden, the jester, because he’s in the courtroom, starts to be like, ‘I might want to go sit on the throne!’”
Basso said that also applied to government officials, whom, he said, should be speaking for the people, not promoting themselves.
“You should be representing me… like, what are you doing?” he asked.
The actor’s comments come after a recent poll found that Republicans are largely averse to celebrities sharing their political opinions.
The AP-NORC poll, released in December, found 61% of Republicans strongly/somewhat disapproved of celebrities speaking out about political issues, while 27% neither approved nor disapproved and 11% strongly/somewhat approved.
For Democrats, just 20% strongly/somewhat disapproved, while 40% neither approved nor disapproved and 39% strongly/somewhat approved.
Based on these comments, I can only surmise that Basso must well and truly want out of show business. In which case, by all means, keep trashing your industry and profession. Taking it from the top: Basso doesn’t think actors should weigh in on politics. Who wants to break the news to him that he’s just done exactly that? As for actors being given scripts for work, the part where Basso says, “We’re told how to say them, we’re told where to stand. And then we’re telling people how to vote?” For one thing, I think really great actors eschew being told how to say lines and being locked in with rigid blocking; they have a creative spark that makes them want to try new approaches and vary interpretations of the character. And anyone who has that creativity in them, who makes their livelihood out of imagining being in someone else’s shoes, yeah, a person with that kind of mind and spirit may have a few thoughtful comments to share on what’s going on in the world around them. By the time Basso gets to the court jester wanting to be on the throne, first of all, the analogy is not as original or clever as he thinks it is. And second, saying it against the backdrop of the current joke occupying the White House, is quite rich.
All that being said, Basso did offer some sound advice that I’d like to repeat back to him: “You should be quiet.”
photos via Instagram and credit Getty
Adding him to the GROWING list of “non mofo factor actors to NEVA watch” 😡 Like do these 🤬 KNOW that they make their money from the public? And stances like THIS is EXACTLY how fascism grows!😱
This. No one needs to hear you do anything but recite from your script bro.
Soooo glad I’ve only ever scrolled past night agent & that jdvance crap whenever I open Netflix to find something to watch.
He’s a disgusting putz who stands for nothing and with nothing. Rejecting the federal government and whatnot.
Tired of acting Boo? By all means don’t let the screen door hit you on the way out. Btw have you not heard of freedom of speech? Everyone..including you..has the right to voice their opinion.
“I want to be underpaid and have no one care about my opinion”.
Oh.
I heard the first season of the Night Agent was great but the second one blows. According to this guy, that’s ALL I should know about him as an “actor.” By his guidelines, I know too much about him 🙄
The second season DOES blow. It’s so bad that hubs and I were shocked to see it’s already been renewed for a third season. Basso seemed to be phoning it it, and now I know why: he’s trash.
His agent and management team just tearing their hair out I bet. Great way to not get hired!
And yes, if you don’t think actors should talk politics then start with yourself and shut up.
Maybe he’s looking for a job with Magawood or whatever the fascist film industry is called.
“whatever the fascist film industry is called”
Amazon Prime.
Hoo boy I just had a super close call with nearly spitting tea all over my keyboard.
Does that go for Zachary Levi? Mel Gibson? Jon Voight??
Hate to break it to him but actors have been political for a long time. These so called republicans are afraid of the power and influence a lot of these actors have.
Does that apply to the reality tv star that is currently residing in the White House? What about the Real World guy who’s in charge of transportation? What about the tv talking news head–ya know, the alcoholic guy–who’s now our Secretary of Defense?
I think the line between entertainment and politics was officially blurred 10 years ago when that orange freak came down the escalator. But I do *sorta* agree with him that I am so fucking tired of hearing the idiotic political opinions of white men–doesn’t matter the industry they work in.
See: Ronald Reagan, Sony Bono, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Shirley Temple Black, Jesse Ventura, Clint Eastwood, Steven Segal (ick), Fred Thompson…the list goes on.
Maybe he thinks it does. Thinks the Dwayne Johnsons and Matthew mcconaugheys should stop musing about running for office because we’ve seen what happens when celebrities think they can govern. Or the George Clooney who weigh in with self important op-eds. That’s the prevailing opinion here when those stories come up. There could be some ideological consistency there who knows.
I kind of agree with him? I certainly don’t want to hear his opinion on politics. Though obviously there are celebrities who are able to offer an articulate defense of a cause that’s dear to their heart, it’s definitely not a given. I was explaining to my husband (we were watching one of their concerts on YouTube) that the Foo Fighters for years had supported an ‘AIDS charity’ that denied the relation between HIV and AIDS and encouraged people to take no medication as they thought AIDS was caused by HIV medication. The woman running it took no medication to prevent her baby from getting HIV when she was pregnant and both she and her daughter died from AIDS.
Not every celebrity is John Legend or Stephen Colbert.
It’s a choice. If an actor or athlete wants to say something they can. People will react so they gotta be ready for that. If an actor doesn’t want to either, then fine.
I don’t know, be quiet and do your job sounds like good advice in general. Not that people shouldn’t have a voice, but it seems that people are more interested in talking than doing.
What gives a podcaster or a farmer more rights than an actor, basketball player, or singer? EVERY American citizen not only has a fundamental right to speak about our country and what, in their opinion, is best for it, but a duty to do so. The idea that some Americans should become passive players in our democracy because of their profession is crazy.
Gabriel Basso sounds like an ignorant dick who “does his own research.”
Well said OriginalMich.
Everyone has equal rights, but not equal exposure. A celebrity’s voice will be heard much more loudly and widely than a plumber’s. If I hire a plumber, I want the job done, not to hear about their political opinions – they can do that on their own time when I can’t hear it. I feel the same way about celebrities. The difference is that there’s never an “own time” with celebrities. The point of their existence is to be in the public eye and their voices to be inescapable.
Comparing a plumber to an actor isn’t a great analogy. You are directly employing a plumber. He or she is in your home. If they persist in talking politics I think it’s fine to politely say that you would prefer to talk about another subject. An actor is not your employee or in your home. I am perfectly happy for right wing actors to speak out, and I can ignore them. They are entitled to express their views and if the media cover it, well that’s how it is. The media don’t cover a plumber’s love life or weddings either.
The point of a celebrity’s existence isn’t to be in the public eye as many didn’t ask for that distinction. However, they do have a platform they can use for good or for evil. They are as deserving of a political voice as any other human, American or not.
Your plumber is literally in your house. Your celebrity is (most likely) not. The comparison is flawed to the point that my sleep deprived ass can’t even wrap my head around where it came from.
““We’re court jesters. We’re entertaining. We’re public servants. We’re there to perform, to entertain,” he added.”
Gabriel Basso clearly does not know what a “public servant” is. Public servants should definitely let us know what their political opinions are.
I think of court jesters as medieval clowns working to make a king smile. Interesting analogy with our current president. An actor has a different function.
If that is his opinion then fine. He should shut up and not be a hypocrite. He doesn’t have the right to impose this on others and their freedom of speech.
Maybe, start with yourself and hush.
He sounds unhappy
And he sounds dumb
Maybe he should follow his own advice and keep quiet
The guy has a severe charisma deficit, I don’t think anyone cares what he thinks.
Aw, Gabriel. You don’t have to quit acting. You can just star in propaganda movies with Zachary Levi and Jim Caviezel.
Aww, Gabriel. I actually watched that interview and I think his comments were taken out of context a bit. He’s an odd ball and over thinks a lot. But he’s pretty funny and has a dry sense of humor. He really just likes to emphasize that actors shouldn’t be put on a pedestal and that their opinions on politics are no more important than non-celebrities. He just needs to work on his delivery.
A family friend of ours met him because their kids played lacrosse together in FL. Said he was a great guy etc. which I’m sure if you’re starstruck and the context was regular dad supporting his nice kid, he probably came across as a great guy. But I looked at his IG after that and wasn’t impressed. Last I saw he had uprooted his family from FL to travel the country and evangelize, so he’s also a hypocrite lol
I don’t mind hearing from a politically informed actor, but I don’t want to hear from Scott Baio. So this guy’s opinion isn’t that off the wall. I’m not sure if he’s talking about someone who is reasonably intelligent like George Clooney or Scott Baio though.
To be honest, I think we’re only going to like a certain celebrity weighing in on politics if you agree with them. Same thing with people we meet in real life. So in that sense it probably is better to not talk too much if you’re an actor. I don’t think this actor’s opinion is flat out wrong.
If a famous person is talking about their support for Trump, I wouldn’t say them to shut up about politics. I would be glad to know if they are supporting a fascist, racist man, so I wouldn’t give them my hard earned money. People usually telling others to be silent are more likely to support right wing politics. Why wouldn’t a person have a right to express their opinions due to their occupation (in case they are working for government or something)?
That’s fair.
I guess I was talking more from the perspective of likability, which I think is part of an actors appeal. No one has to shut up about their politics, but I do think some actors are more informed than others and that does affect my perception of whether I’ll like them or not. As I said, I have no idea if he’s talking about the informed actors or the uninformed ones. Maybe he hates the informed actors.
@Thinking, I mean, non-famous people talk about politics all the time, uninformed or not. What I don’t understand, people treat famous people like they don’t have that right for some reason. Obviously, excluding spreading misinfo about politics or health, anyone should have the right to express their own views on politics. They are citizens and pay taxes. Being an actor or singer shouldn’t make someone feel like they can’t voice their views about how good or bad their country works.
There was a huge (commercial) cancel culture in early 2000’s. The conservatives in power would cancel any artist criticizing the conservative government. It happened to The Chicks. So, I understand some artists had learnt to be silent not to lose their jobs. Those rigid power structures don’t exist much anymore. You can get cancelled by social media, but then you can find another social media group supporting you.
I think anyone should be free to discuss politics, I just don’t necessarily think they’ll be free of the consequences of how people will react to them once they release their opinions. This goes for both celebrities and non-famous people.
I imagine for famous people who constantly have to explain why they had a certain thought, this could be exhausting. I’m not even famous and I find it exhausting for myself. That said, famous people have a platform and I don’t. They can use that platform however they wish.
I enjoyed the Night Agent, especially the first season which I rewatched. Season 2 was nowhere near the level of Season 1 but I did enjoy the Iranian storyline a lot and the actors who played Noor and Javad.
I also watched a lot of Gabriel and the rest of the cast’s interviewing promoting The Night Agent, including the one where he’s doing this painting interview (it’s on video on Youtube). He has a lot of diverse interests–ink drawings (Keanu Reeves actually purchased one of his drawings), skydiving, martial arts, he even got some kind of certification in stone masonry (?) during one of his acting breaks. The way it comes across, acting is something he enjoys doing but he doesn’t enjoy all the fakeness that goes along with the industry and he very much sees the world in black and white (the way he draws). He also doesn’t see the profession of acting as a “serious” job or a job that contributes to society in a meaningful way. He doesn’t think actors should be idolized for being actors and should “be quiet and do their jobs.” He has been pretty consistent about all of that in nearly all his interviews. I have no idea what his political leanings are since he doesn’t share those at all but the little I’ve gathered he seems anti-government in general. He posted a picture of him skydiving on his IG stories the other day with a caption saying “People ask me if I’m left wing or right wing. I’m the bird.” I do believe actors should have the right to express themselves however they want to but I do admit it can get tiresome to hear actors preach about things depending on what it is.
I knew I was getting bad vibes from this one ! That guy clearly doesn’t have enough acting credits to his name to be in the position to say “actors should shut up”. The little I saw from that netflix show of his, it seemed to me that my cat has more facial expressions so perhaps he should take some acting classes just yo be sure that je actually understand where he is being told to stand and what he is being told to say.
Who is he? Dude, maybe you should have a catalog of work before you open your mouth.
Saying people shouldn’t say anything is in fact saying something so hypocrite can sit the heck down. People are allowed to speak. Actors are people. Shall we just let loud rich men be the only people allowed to speak? Get out of here.
The people who don’t want to voice their politics usually have bad politics that they know harm others.
Silence in the face of injustice = complicity.
I was finding it harder and harder to get into the second season of THE NIGHT AGENT and decided to skip the rest of the season and read the recaps. It was never a great show, but it was diverting enough. I was fine calling Season 2 a sophomore slump and just waiting for the already announced Season 3.
Now I’m done. I think this dude is insufferable and arrogant and it affects how I’d see his performance (particularly since his character is one who, in Season 2, increasingly does inhumane/unethical things, particularly to brown people, “in the name of national security/for the greater good,” so he was already feeling a little MAGA. Best to cut my losses.
Lolol I had to do the same thing to figure out who he was. As I have had this same discussion with others I will say this. A person’s job doesn’t exclude them from their right to vote or have an opinion about politics, so no one has the right to tell anyone that they should “shut up and dribble” or “shut up and do their job” because as an American, it is everyone’s job and right to vote and voice their opinions about that which impacts them and their loved ones. So maybe if anyone should shut up, it should be him for thinking that he has the right to tell anyone what they should or shouldn’t do regarding their civil rights and liberties.
This was so well written. Kismet I love reading your take on things.
I don’t know much about the corp structure of Celebitchy. But whoever picks the writers does a wonderful job.
This is the ONLY celeb site I visit.
It is clear to me he is uneducated about our form of government since he thinks the federal government is illegitimate.
He should take his own advice.
There’s something to be said about American culture giving too much weight to celebrity opinions, especially on things they’re uneducated about, but they ARE allowed to have them. They’re still people who pay taxes and live in society like the rest of us. He’s welcome to lead by example, though.
At this moment in American history I think every single American has to do some serious thinking about what they stand for and how their job might contribute to a facist regime. Including entertainers.
He doesn’t understand that the role of the court jester wasn’t just to entertain but to offer political commentary without fear of reprisal (sometimes). The court jester was the only person who could take jibes at the king and nobles. If he sees himself as the court jester it his responsibility to think and speak out.