American actor Angelina Jolie has voiced strong concerns about the state of free speech in the United States, declaring that she “doesn’t recognise” her country anymore amid what she perceives as growing threats to personal expression. Her comments, made at Spain’s San Sebastián film festival on Sunday, arrive as Hollywood grapples with the recent suspension and swift return of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
When asked by a journalist what she fears as an artist and an American, the Oscar-winning actor stated, “I love my country, but at this time, I don’t recognise my country.” Jolie, who highlighted her international background and worldview, warned against anything that “divides or limits personal expressions and freedoms from anyone,” deeming it “very dangerous.” She added, “These are such serious times that we have to be careful not to say things casually. These are very, very heavy times we are living in together.”
While Jolie did not explicitly name Kimmel, her remarks closely follow the temporary suspension of his ABC late-night show. The move by Disney, ABC’s parent company, came after Kimmel made comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk and a related assassination. Kimmel had suggested that “the MAGA gang [is] desperately trying to characterise this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” Disney announced on Monday that the comedian would return to air, just six days after the suspension that threatened a regulatory probe. Jolie has a significant working relationship with Disney, having starred in major projects like *Maleficent* and Marvel’s *The Eternals*.
The suspension drew widespread condemnation from prominent figures, including former US President Barack Obama, who criticized it as a capitulation to unconstitutional government pressure. Fellow late-night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Fallon, and David Letterman publicly rallied behind Kimmel. Stewart quipped about former President Donald Trump’s comment that “Kimmel is not a talented person,” suggesting Trump had a “Talent-O-Meter” for performers’ niceness. Colbert stated that ABC would be “woefully naive” if they believed the move would satisfy the current administration, while Fallon called Kimmel “a decent, funny and loving guy.”
Dissent also emerged from within Disney’s ranks. Multiple stars associated with the entertainment giant voiced their disapproval of the decision, which The New York Times reported was made by Disney CEO Bob Iger and head of television Dana Walden. Mark Ruffalo, who portrays the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, took to Threads to warn that Disney’s stock would “go down a lot further if they cancel” Kimmel permanently, adding, “Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.” Ruffalo further elaborated in a video for the anti-Trump “No Kings” protest, asserting that “it is the US government that is now suppressing the freedom of speech.” He made a stark comparison, urging viewers to “Think of yourselves living under the Taliban, because that’s where we’re headed.”
Pedro Pascal, set to star in upcoming Disney films, expressed his solidarity with Kimmel on Instagram, writing, “Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY.” Tatiana Maslany, who plays She-Hulk in the MCU, called on her Instagram followers to “cancel” their Disney+ subscriptions. Hollywood showrunner Damon Lindelof, creator of the ABC series *Lost*, pledged he would not work with Disney+ again if Kimmel’s suspension became permanent, calling the initial decision “shocked, saddened and infuriated.” Pop star Olivia Rodrigo, who rose to fame through Disney projects, also condemned the incident as “blatant censorship and abuse of power,” standing firmly with Kimmel.
