Jane Fonda has enlisted more than 550 of her superstar peers in Hollywood to help relaunch her late father Henry Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment.
Aaron Sorkin, Alyssa Milano, Anjelica Huston, Barbra Streisand, Ben Stiller, Billy Crystal, Christine Baranski, Ethan Hawke, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julianne Moore, Lily Tomlin, Mandy Patinkin, Melanie Griffith, Natalie Portman, Nicolas Cage, Olivia Wilde, Sam Waterston, Susan Sarandon, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg and Winona Ryder, among many more A-Listers, are standing together in defense of our constitutional rights.
“This committee was initially created during the McCarthy Era, a dark time when the federal government repressed and persecuted American citizens for their political beliefs. They targeted elected officials, government employees, academics, and artists. They were blacklisted, harassed, silenced and even imprisoned,” their Wednesday letter begins. “The McCarthy Era ended when Americans from across the political spectrum finally came together and stood up for the principles in the Constitution against the forces of repression.”
“Those forces have returned. And it is our turn to stand together in defense of our constitutional rights. The federal government is once again engaged in a coordinated campaign to silence critics in the government, the media, the judiciary, academia, and the entertainment industry,” it continues. “We refuse to stand by and let that happen. Free speech and free expression are the inalienable rights of every American of all backgrounds and political beliefs — no matter how liberal or conservative you may be. The ability to criticize, question, protest, and even mock those in power is foundational to what America has always aspired to be.”
Henry’s initial committee was founded in the 1940s and touted icons like Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland as participants.
“We understand that this is a frightening and confusing moment for many people. We recognize that we represent just one group of many who are under threat right now. Across classrooms, libraries, factories, companies and workplaces of all kinds, Americans of every walk of life are facing intimidation and censorship too — and we stand with them,” his daughter Jane’s committee adds. “We know there is power in solidarity and strength in numbers. We will stand together — fiercely united — to defend free speech and expression from this assault. This is not a partisan issue. That is why we urge every American who cares about the First Amendment — the cornerstone of our democracy — and every artist around the globe who looks to the United States as a beacon of freedom to join us.”
“And to those who profit from our work while threatening the livelihoods of everyday working people, bowing to government censorship and cowering to brute intimidation: we see you and history will not forget. This will not be the last you hear from us,” the message concludes.
Check out more of the household names who’ve joined as signatories, below:
Aaron Sorkin, Abbi Jacobson, Abigail Disney, Adam McKay, Alan Cumming, Alex Edelman, Alfre Woodard, Ali Abbasi, Alyssa Milano, Anjelica Huston, AnnaSophia Robb, Annette Bening, Ariana DeBose, Barbra Streisand, Barry Jenkins, Ben Stiller, Bill Maher, Billie Eilish, Billy Crystal, Bonnie Raitt, Brad Falchuk, Brad Garrett, Brandon Flynn, Catherine Keener, Celine Song, Chelsea Handler, Chris Messina, Chris Perfetti, Christine Baranski, Christine Lahti, Christopher Guest, Connie Britton, Connie Nielsen, Cynthia Nixon, Damon Lindelof, Dustin Lance Black, Ed Begley Jr., Elisabeth Shue, Elliot Page, Ethan Hawke, Finneas O’Connell, Florence Pugh, Fran Drescher, Frankie Shaw, George Takei, Gillian Anderson, Glenn Close, Hannah Einbinder, Heather Graham, Helen Mirren, Holland Taylor, Iain Armitage, Ilana Glazer, Issa Rae, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janelle Monae, Jenji Kohan, Jennifer Esposito, Jerry Zucker, JJ Abrams, Jonathan Penner, Josh Gad, Judd Apatow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julianne Moore, Julia Stiles, Justin Kuritzkes, Katherine LaNasa, Kerry Washington, Kulap Vilaysack, Larry David, Lee Daniels, Lena Dunham, Lily Gladstone, Lily Tomlin, Lisa Ann Walter, Lucia Aniello, Mandy Patinkin, Marcia Gay Harden, Margaret Cho, Margaret Qualley, Mark Ruffalo, Mary Steenburgen, Max Greenfield, Melanie Griffith, Michael Keaton, Michelle Buteau, Morgan Spector, Natalie Morales, Natalie Portman, Natasha Rothwell, Nathan Lane, Nicolas Cage, Nikki Glaser, Noah Galvin, Olivia Wilde, Pamela Adlon, Patrick Stewart, Patti LuPone, Paula Pell, Paulina Porizkova, Pedro Pascal, Quinta Brunson, Rachel Bloom, Rafe Lee Judkins, Ramy Youssef, Rob Reiner, Rosario Dawson, Rosie O’Donnell, Rosie Perez, Samantha Mathis, Sam Esmail, Sam Waterston, Sandra Bernhard, Sean Penn, Spike Lee, Susan Sarandon, Taylor Schilling, Ted Danson, Tiffany Haddish, Tim Blake Nelson, Tracey Ullman, Viola Davis, Wanda Sykes, Winona Ryder, Whoopi Goldberg, Yvette Nicole Brown and Zoey Deutch.
