Actors Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight have been named as special Hollywood envoys by President Donald Trump, as announced on Truth Social last Thursday. The news of the appointment came as a surprise to at least one of the appointees.
The President referred to the actors as his “eyes and ears” in Hollywood, California, describing it as “a great but very troubled place” in need of revitalization.
The trio will serve as Special Envoys to Trump with the aim of revitalizing Hollywood, which according to him, has lost significant business to foreign countries over the past four years. “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!” Trump stated. “It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!”
Gibson, the award-winning director and star of “Braveheart,” seemed unaware of the appointment, telling the press, “This is the first I’m hearing of it,” but later added that he would “heed the call.” His directorial credits have earned him several Academy Awards, including Best Picture nominations for “Hacksaw Ridge” in 2016.
Stallone, with a career spanning almost half a century, is best known for his “Rocky” and “Rambo” franchises. The original “Rocky” film won him Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay in 1976, and took home the Best Picture award. The “Rambo” series has grossed over $800 million worldwide, while the “Rocky” series, including the “Creed” spinoffs, has pulled in more than $1.7 billion globally.
Voight’s breakthrough role was in 1969’s “Midnight Cowboy,” and he won an Academy Award for Best Actor in “Coming Home” (1978). His recent work in the TV series “Ray Donovan” (2013-2020) earned him an Emmy nomination.
This announcement follows a significant decline in U.S. film and television production. Industry data reveals a fall of 26% from the 2021 levels. In the larger Los Angeles area, production has dropped 5.6% from 2023, hitting the lowest point since the pandemic year of 2020.
At a gala at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in November, Stallone expressed support for Trump, comparing him to the nation’s first president. “Trump is the second George Washington,” Stallone declared, lauding the president-elect’s “awe-inspiring accomplishments.”
Voight has also been vocal in his support for Trump, criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in a recent video address and stating, “They will destroy the American dream. They are corrupt.” He had previously commended Trump as “the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln.”
Currently, the Los Angeles entertainment industry is grappling with numerous challenges. Recent wildfires have caused substantial damage to production facilities and residential properties in the region, with Gibson being among those who lost properties in the fires. Furthermore, domestic box office revenues have not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, with earnings still below 2018 figures.
The specifics of the special envoys’ responsibilities or authority were not detailed in Trump’s announcement, leaving questions about their role in tackling these industry challenges unanswered.
