This election cycle, many celebrities are using their voices to try and get their fans out to vote. As people with a public platform, they realize their words can make a difference in this very important election. We spoke to some of them about their efforts.
Five Things You Need to Know:
- Celebrities have frequently voiced their opinions during election season and with the rise of social media, they are now able to react and state their views immediately, as never before.
- Democrats like Mark Hamil, Mark Ruffalo, Dan Levy, Pat Oswald, Josh Gad, Keegan Michael Key, Jim Gaffigan, Ike Barinholtz, Cardi B, Missy Elliott, Brie Larson, Mariska Hargitay, Mindy Kaling, Maya Rudolph and Jamie Lee Curtis are just a few who have used Instagram or Facebook to express themselves. On the Republican side, there are fewer celebs but Kid Rock, Roseanne Barr, Scott Baio, Stephan Baldwin and Jon Voight have also taken to social media.
- Kevin Costner told us "You would feel hopeless if you didn’t have that right and we have it. Are we responsible enough to exercise it? That doesn’t mean who you should vote for, it means what your opportunity is."
- Michael Fishman who plays CJ on ABC's The Connors, told us, "I really want to encourage everyone to vote regardless of what side you are on. This is an opportunity to have your voice heard, and then we need to come together and put this country back together and to find a common ground that makes us a better united country."
- Last year's Oscar winner, Laura Dern adds "There’s so much noise, perhaps more noise than ever between news and social media and the ease to be reactive through Twitter and to stay true to what you believe is compassionate and right for your fellow humans and true to you and protect it with your vote and your voice, it’s everything, at an incredibly crippling time."