Multiple Hollywood celebrities are calling on motion picture studio executives to discontinue donations to politicians who take funds from the National Rifle Association (NRA).
According to Fox News, over 100 actors, producers and industry creatives, including Amy Schumer, Julianne Moore, Rosie O’Donnell signed an open letter, urging Hollywood companies to end political contributions to candidates who take money from the NRA and vote against gun reform. The letter calls for the companies to actively lobby for gun reform. The group said it is “concerned about the epidemic of gun violence sweeping our country and are joining forces to do everything we can to help build safer communities for us all.”
Here's our full letter urging film studios to stop donating to NRA-backed lawmakers – signed by over 100 actors, producers, and industry creatives. If you'd like to join them, make your voice heard before the #Oscars2020 and sign our petition at https://t.co/KehnT9jy3c pic.twitter.com/c0be2FVnKl
— Guns Down America (@GunsDownAmerica) January 30, 2020
Guns Down America, a gun control group, compiled the letter which was shared Thursday, ahead of the Feb. 9 Academy Awards. It urges the entertainment industry to help build safer communities.
“From 2016 to 2020, the political action committees associated with the studios behind this year’s Best Picture Oscar nominees donated a combined total of $4.2 million to NRA-backed lawmakers,” the letter states. “These lawmakers’ opposition to gun reform is literally putting our audiences in danger and we are urging you to consider a politician’s position on gun reform when political contributions in the future.”
For some time many Hollywood elites (as well as plenty of B-listers) have had a problem with guns and support stricter gun-control laws, even the repeal of the Second Amendment. Following a series of mass shootings in recent years, numerous celebrities have called on lawmakers to stop accepting donations from the NRA, the nation’s largest gun-rights group.
“Since the federal government has failed to pass reforms that raise the standard for gun ownership in America, our industry has a responsibility to act,” the letter reads. “We hope that you do.”
In an interview for Variety, Igor Volsky, executive director of Guns Down America, said the organization had previously sent letters to each studio with a best picture nominee that were written by families and people who had been directly impacted by gun violence.
“The Oscars are a real opportunity to celebrate the film industry, but as we recognize those accomplishments, we also want to encourage this business to recognize that they have an opportunity and an obligation to play a leadership role on this issue,” said Volsky. “This is a serious epidemic facing Americans and studios need to do all they can to recognize their responsibility to keep their audience safe.”