Hollywood’s obsession with the 1950s-era blacklist shows little sign of waning. We’ve already seen “Good Night, and Good Luck,” “The Front,” “Guilty by Suspicion,” “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg,” “The Majestic,” and two films based on the life of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company will host the world premiere adaptation of George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck” starting in October. The film industry’s connection to that chapter in history makes sense. It’s un-American for artists to lose work, let alone face incarceration, for their political beliefs — or, as was often the case at the time, mere rumors of “subversive” beliefs. And yet, Hollywood, Inc. ignores a similar brand of blacklist, one that grows darker, more powerful, in the Age of Trump. Actor Antonio Sabato, Jr. told Variety earlier this month that his public embrace of then-candidate Donald Trump effectively ended his acting career: “I had to sell everything … I had to pay all my debts. I was blacklisted. All my representatives left me, from agents to managers to commercial agents. I literally had to move, find a new job to survive and take care of my kids. It’s been terrible. It’s mind-blowing. It’s a disgrace. It’s tough, because if you’re in that environment in Hollywood and you have something to say that they don’t like, they’re going to let you know.” Sabato’s story, assuming it’s true, is far from an isolated incident, and it started before he unsuccessfully ran as a Republican for a California congressional seat in 2018 — and well before a brash real estate mogul commandeered the GOP. The director of “2016: Obama’s America,” a documentary highly critical of the 44th president, told me that some crew members worked under pseudonyms for fear of career reprisals. A secretive group of conservative stars, huddling under the “Friends of Abe” banner, met around Hollywood for years to network and commiserate; they understood that being openly conservative could invite trouble. That politically-charged threat only intensified in the Trump era. Here’s The Hollywood Reporter (THR) noting how show business conservatives approached Trump’s 2016 campaign: “While THR spoke to dozens of Trump voters, few wished to announce their support, citing their desire to avoid backlash from co-workers. One makeup artist, for example, says longtime clients stopped hiring her after learning she was a Republican.” Outspoken conservative actor James Woods shared how his own agent cut ties with him for purely political reasons: "It's the 4th of July and I'm feeling patriotic. I don't want to represent you anymore. I mean, I could go on a rant but you know what I'd say.” Tim Allen joked to “Jimmy Kimmel Live” in 2017 that being a conservative in Hollywood wasn’t easy. "You get beat up if you don't believe what everybody believes. This is like '30s Germany," the veteran comic cracked. ABC canceled Allen’s popular “Last Man Standing” show less than two months later despite hearty ratings. (Fox eventually snagged the sitcom, which still draws a sizable crowd.) Former “Home Improvement” alum Zachery Ty Bryan told “Fox & Friends” two years ago that conservative stars aren’t as rare as people may think. They just stay “anonymous,” he said — to avoid blowback...MORE
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