
Zachary Levi describes facing wrath of Hollywood for supporting Trump
Zachary Levi is opening up on navigating the backlash he's faced due to his support of Donald Trump and espousing controversial views on Covid-19 vaccines.
The Shazam! star endorsed Trump in the 2024 presidential election after his preferred candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dropped out and joined forces with the MAGA leader.
Already courting 'cancellation' because of his vaccine scepticism, he called the move 'career suicide' at the time because 'Hollywood is a very, very liberal town.'
In a wide-ranging interview published May 22, Levi revealed that he's since experienced the wrath of Hollywood.
'I know that there are people that would prefer not to work with me now because of my opinions. My team has let me know,' he told Variety executive editor Tatiana Siegel. 'They haven't given me any specific names, but there are people who prefer not to work with me at this time. And it's unfortunate.'
The self-described Hollywood pariah – whose credits include Chuck , Thor: Ragnarok and Harold And The Purple Crayon – also revealed that while he may be one of few people in the industry who publicly came forward with their support of Trump, he's not the only one.
'I know it to be true because I've gotten messages from lots of people who I won't name but who were very grateful to me for taking the stand that I took,' Levi said.
'They would tell me, 'I want to do that, but I'm so afraid.' And I would tell them, 'Listen, you're on your journey. I'm on my journey. You've got to keep trusting God. And if you feel compelled to step out in that way, then do it boldly and know that you're going to be OK.
"And if you don't feel that conviction yet, then don't. It's all good.''
The 44-year-old Louisiana native, who welcomed his first child with photographer Maggie Keating in April, also shared his true thoughts on Trump himself, saying he's not blind to certain issues.
'I was not a fan of Trump's Trumpiness. I didn't like a lot of these personal things, the ways that he carries himself a lot of the time,' Levi confessed.
'I understand people's aversion. Do I think the whole package is somehow perfect? No. In fact, most people who voted for Donald Trump recognise a lot of the imperfections in all of it. Nobody was saying, 'This is the Orange Messiah.'' – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fake AI photos of Trump with Epstein spread online
WASHINGTON: Fake AI-generated photos and videos claiming to show former US President Donald Trump with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have gone viral, raising concerns over misinformation. Researchers found at least seven manipulated images and one video, collectively amassing over 7.2 million views. One widely shared deepfake video depicts Trump and Epstein watching young girls dance, set to Sade's song 'Is it a Crime?' Another fabricated image shows Trump dancing with a teenager on Epstein's private island, captioned with a provocative question about his character. Disinformation watchdog NewsGuard confirmed the content as AI-generated using detection tools like Hive and IdentifAI. While Trump's past association with Epstein is well-documented, no verified photos exist of him with underage girls or on Epstein's island. The surge in AI-generated 'slop'—low-quality synthetic media—highlights growing challenges in distinguishing real from fake content online. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok now host paid courses teaching users how to monetize such viral deepfakes, even as moderation efforts decline. The spread of fake images intensified after the FBI and Justice Department dismissed claims of an Epstein 'client list' on July 7. Trump's MAGA supporters demanded the release of alleged 'Epstein files,' fueling conspiracy theories. Despite a Wall Street Journal report naming Trump among hundreds in Epstein's records, no evidence links him to criminal activity. Trump recently sued the newspaper for defamation over a story about a suggestive letter he allegedly wrote to Epstein. - AFP


The Sun
5 minutes ago
- The Sun
Trump and EU chief to meet Sunday for crucial trade deal talks
GLASGOW: US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet in Scotland on Sunday in a final push to resolve a months-long trade dispute. The high-stakes talks aim to avoid sweeping US tariffs on EU goods, which could rise to 30 percent if no agreement is reached by August 1. Von der Leyen confirmed the meeting on social media, stating, 'Following a good call with POTUS, we have agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong.' Trump, arriving in the UK late Friday, told reporters, 'I'll be meeting with the EU on Sunday, and we'll be working on a deal. Ursula will be here—a highly respected woman. So we look forward to that.' The negotiations follow months of discussions between US and EU trade officials, with recent signals suggesting progress toward a potential agreement. According to European diplomats, the proposed deal could involve a baseline 15 percent tariff on EU goods, similar to the agreement recently secured with Japan. Exemptions for critical sectors like steel, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture remain key sticking points. The EU is currently facing multiple US tariffs, including 25 percent on cars and 50 percent on steel and aluminium. A failure to reach a deal could see these levies increase, further straining the €1.6 trillion annual trade relationship. The EU has prepared retaliatory measures on $109 billion worth of US goods, set to take effect from August 7 if talks collapse. An EU diplomat noted, 'The final decision is in the hands of President Trump,' highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the outcome. Trump himself described the chances of a deal as '50-50,' citing unresolved issues on 'maybe 20 different things.' - AFP


Malay Mail
35 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Trump wants to bury the Epstein story — his MAGA base won't let it go
WASHINGTON, July 26 — Far-right MAGA influencers are treading a tightrope as outrage escalates over the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein: they are caught between a fired-up base demanding more information and President Donald Trump, who is eager to turn the page. Trump's core Make America Great Again base has erupted in anger over the White House's handling of the so-called 'Epstein files,' viewing it as a betrayal by the Republican and his allies who have long championed the unfounded theory that powerful elites orchestrated a massive child sex trafficking cover-up. Calls for the release of those files could intensify after a US media report on Wednesday said Trump's name was among hundreds found during an official review of documents on Epstein, a claim the White House has denied. Faced with a choice between alienating a base fervently demanding answers or defying Trump — who has implored them to move on — MAGA-aligned influencers and podcasters find themselves in a political bind. MAGA media are 'definitely walking a fine line with the Epstein debacle,' Mike Rothschild, an expert on conspiracy theories, told AFP. 'Trump demanding that nobody talk about Epstein should be a betrayal for them. But they're so invested in supporting Trump, and have built their financial support around it, that they really can't do anything but make excuses and tie themselves in knots.' Some MAGA influencers, however, turned sharply critical in recent weeks. Among them is Rogan O'Handley, who was invited to the White House in February alongside a handful of influencers and presented with binders labeled 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1,' only to find they offered little new information. 'This is a shameful coverup to protect the most heinous elites,' O'Handley told his 2.2 million followers on X earlier this month. 'We were told multiple times the files would be released and now it looks like backroom deals have been made to keep them hidden.' 'Fanatically loyal' Charlie Kirk, a Trump loyalist and podcaster, faced an avalanche of criticism from the MAGA base after he initially said he was 'done talking' about Epstein, and added he was going to trust 'my friends in the administration.' 'Trump's base has been fanatically loyal, and influencers are hesitant about opposing Trump directly if that threatens the size of their audiences,' Matt Gertz, senior fellow at the watchdog Media Matters for America, told AFP. Fueling the MAGA base's anger were conclusions from the Justice Department and FBI that Epstein — a disgraced financier who died in jail in 2019 — did not maintain a 'client list' as conspiracy theorists have contended. Attorney General Pam Bondi emerged as their key target for criticism after announcing no more information would be forthcoming. But Trump has defended Bondi, while claiming without evidence on Truth Social that the Epstein files were written by his political rivals 'Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the losers and criminals of the Biden administration.' That response prompted disbelief from Benny Johnson, a longtime Trump supporter and right-wing podcaster. ' By admitting that the Epstein Files are real, and that you've read them, and you don't like their contents, and they were written by your enemies, it doesn't make the most compelling case as far as I'm concerned. Holy moly,' Johnson said. 'Moving target' Seeking to redirect attention within the MAGA base — an echo chamber fueled by constant grievance and outrage — Trump has launched attacks on familiar enemies: former president Barack Obama and the media. The White House has promoted the unfounded claim that Obama led a 'years-long coup' against Trump around his victorious 2016 election. The former president has rejected the claim. The White House has also barred The Wall Street Journal from traveling with Trump during his upcoming visit to Scotland, after the newspaper reported that he wrote a bawdy birthday message to Epstein. Last Friday, Trump sued the WSJ and its media magnate owner Rupert Murdoch for at least US$10 billion (RM42.1 billion) over the allegation in the article, which Trump denies. Following those moves, Stephen Bannon, host of the influential War Room podcast, sought to rally influencers behind Trump, telling US media that the MAGA base was 'completely unified because now we're on offense.' 'The MAGA media's take on the Epstein case is both fractured and very much a moving target,' said Gertz. 'Trump's recent attacks on The Wall Street Journal and new conspiracy theories about Obama seem to be refocusing their attention away from Epstein — though it's unclear for how long, particularly given the new revelation that Trump himself is named in the files.' — AFP