Screen Actors Guild Awards Rally Against Trump Travel and Immigration Ban, Julie Louis-Dreyfus Calls It Un-American
ByThis year's Screen Actors Guild was a very active one. Instead of the usual glitz and glamour that award shows usually tend to showcase, the event was filled with celebration, unity, and a common cause in a political strife against the Trump campaign. Several winners were not shy about expressing how they felt with Trump's recent reformations and attacked the newly inducted president of the United States as they gave their respective acceptance speeches.
According to BBC, "Fences" was the film that took him home the prestigious award for best actor being won by the veteran and world-renowned actor Denzel Washington. The film is about a group of black female mathematicians in the 1960s, doing the part to help the United States win the space race. Washington's co-star Viola Davis spoke to reporters about people of color being honored during the event and explained that every black actor that was recognized deserved their recognition and "not...because of the color of their skin."
Emma Stone won best actress for her performance in the musical throwback "La La Land" and openly spoke about her apprehension with Trump's vision of America. Stone explained "We're in a really tricky time in our country and things are very inexcusable and scary." Actress Taylor Schilling was met with a round of applause when she described the award-winning cast of "Orange is the New Black" as a group of people of diverse background representing immigrants, families, and generations of people who "have sought a better life here" in America.
As reported by TIME, Julie Louis-Dreyfus was arguably the most outspoken actress in the event, voicing her concerns against President Trump's controversial response to immigration from predominantly Islamic countries. Dreyfus explained that she herself came from a family of immigrants. She claimed that the ban on immigration is a "blemish" to what America stands for and that at its core is unquestionably "Un-American."
Dreyfus ended her Screen Actors Guld Awards speech with a call to action to her fellow actors and actresses. She went on to conclude, "'Our guilds are unions of storytellers who always welcomed those from the nations of varying beliefs who wish to share their creativity with America. We are grateful for them. We stand with them. And we will fight for them. Thank you."