Trump, Mel Gibson, and 3 Movie Actors Appointed as 'Hollywood Envoys'

Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight
Known as Ardent Supporters of Trump

President-elect of the United States Donald Trump has appointed three famous veteran actors?Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight?as 'Special Ambassadors to Hollywood.'

On the 16th (local time), Trump issued a statement saying, "It is an honor to appoint three very talented actors as Special Ambassadors to Hollywood," adding, "They will work to make Hollywood, which has lost many businesses overseas in the past four years, bigger, better, and stronger than ever."

Three actors appointed as Hollywood envoys. From the left, John Boyett, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

Trump described Hollywood as "a great but very challenging area," emphasizing, "These three actors will be my eyes and ears, and I will implement their suggestions to once again create Hollywood's golden age."

Hollywood, located in California?a traditional Democratic stronghold and a symbol of the American entertainment industry?is currently facing a crisis due to the decline of the film industry and simultaneous wildfires in Los Angeles (LA). Following the pandemic and the 2023 writers' and actors' union strikes, LA has seen a 15% reduction in film and recording jobs, and last year's U.S. box office revenue ($8.7 billion) decreased by 23.5% compared to 2019.

The damage caused by the wildfires is also severe. The Guardian reported, "The worst wildfires in over 60 years have destroyed many buildings and displaced tens of thousands of residents, causing more than $250 billion in damages." Gibson, who was appointed as a special ambassador, is also known to have lost his home in Malibu, California, due to the wildfires.

It is unclear what specific roles the three actors appointed as Hollywood special ambassadors will undertake. However, the Associated Press noted that the title 'special ambassador' is generally assigned to regions with issues such as the Middle East. Previously, Trump appointed Mark Burnett, the producer of the reality TV show 'The Apprentice' which Trump once hosted, as a special ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The three actors appointed as special ambassadors share the common trait of being ardent supporters of Trump. Jon Voight, who is also the father of famous actress Angelina Jolie, has reportedly praised Trump as the best president since Abraham Lincoln. Stallone, known to be a frequent guest at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, congratulated Trump’s election victory by saying, "We have gotten a second George Washington (the first U.S. president)." Gibson also expressed support for Trump in an interview video released by U.S. entertainment media TMZ just before last year’s election, and sparked controversy by saying about Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, that she had "the IQ of a fence post."