Over 400 Hollywood celebrities — including Selena Gomez, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, and Robert De Niro — have signed an open letter organized by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in defense of free speech after ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air.
The Disney-owned network placed the late-night show on indefinite hiatus following Kimmel’s controversial remarks about conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, a close Donald Trump ally who was shot dead on a Utah university campus.
In the letter, the ACLU warned of “dark moments for freedom of speech,” criticizing government pressure on private companies to silence critics.
“Efforts by leaders to pressure artists, journalists, and companies with retaliation for their speech strike at the heart of what it means to live in a free country,” the letter read. It further added: “Last week, Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air after the government threatened a private company with retaliation, marking a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”
The statement also drew attention to broader concerns, noting that teachers, government employees, researchers, universities, and students are facing similar threats to their right to expression.
“Regardless of our political affiliation, or whether we engage in politics or not, we all love our country. We also share the belief that our voices should never be silenced by those in power – because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us,” it concluded, urging Americans to stand united in defending constitutional rights.
Among the stars joining in solidarity with Kimmel were Pedro Pascal, Diego Luna, Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Rodrigo, Ben Stiller, Jamie Lee Curtis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Keaton, Regina King, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Kerry Washington, and many more.
