In a recent development, President Donald Trump has named actors Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight as his special envoys for Hollywood, California, on Truth Social. This announcement seemed to come as a surprise to at least one of the appointees.
Trump characterized this group as his “eyes and ears” in the beleaguered Hollywood, which he described as a “great but very troubled place” in need of rejuvenation.
“They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” wrote Trump. He went on to express his vision of a return to the “Golden Age of Hollywood,” akin to The United States of America itself.
Gibson, notable for his directorial and acting achievements in the five-time Academy Award-winning film “Braveheart,” seemed taken aback by the appointment. “This is the first I’m hearing of it,” Gibson informed the media, but later expressed his commitment to “heed the call.” His directorial credentials include multiple Academy Award nominations, including a Best Picture nomination for “Hacksaw Ridge” in 2016.
Stallone, a seasoned actor with nearly five decades in the industry, is renowned for creating two iconic franchises. The “Rocky” series earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay in 1976, with the first film winning Best Picture. The “Rambo” franchise and the “Rocky” series, inclusive of its “Creed” spinoffs, have collectively generated over $2.5 billion in global box office revenue.
Voight, who gained prominence with 1969’s “Midnight Cowboy,” won an Academy Award for Best Actor for “Coming Home” (1978). His recent contributions include an Emmy nomination for his role as Mickey Donovan in the television series “Ray Donovan” (2013-2020).
The appointment of these “special envoys” coincides with the steepest decline in U.S. film and television production in recent memory. Industry data reveals that overall production has decreased by 26% from the 2021 levels. In the greater Los Angeles area, production fell 5.6% from 2023, hitting its lowest level since the pandemic year of 2020.
Stallone demonstrated his support for Trump at a November gala at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. “Trump is the second George Washington,” Stallone proclaimed, acknowledging Trump’s “awe-inspiring accomplishments.”
Voight recently released a video in which he criticized Trump’s political opponents, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, asserting, “They will destroy the American dream. They are corrupt.” He had earlier lauded Trump as “the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln.”
Currently, the Los Angeles entertainment industry is grappling with numerous challenges. Recent wildfires have inflicted considerable damage on production facilities and residences in the area, with Gibson among those who lost properties. The domestic box office has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with revenues still lagging behind 2018 figures.
The specifics of the responsibilities and authority of these special envoys were not clarified in Trump’s announcement, leaving questions about their role in addressing these industry challenges.
