As wildfires ravage Los Angeles causing an estimated $250 billion in damages, President-elect Donald Trump has unveiled an unconventional plan to revitalise the struggling entertainment industry, naming three Hollywood veterans as special ambassadors.
The announcement comes as the entertainment capital grapples with multiple challenges, from devastating fires to the aftermath of industry-wide strikes and growing competition from international markets.
Mel Gibson, whose home fell victim to the recent Los Angeles wildfires, joined Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight in receiving the surprise appointments. The trio, all vocal Trump supporters during his successful campaign, will serve as “Special Envoys” tasked with making Hollywood “BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE,” according to Trump’s Truth Social announcement.
Gibson, 69, responded to his appointment with characteristic humour, quipping about an ambassador’s residence while acknowledging he learnt of the role alongside the public. Stallone, 78, who recently compared Trump to George Washington at a Mar-a-Lago victory speech, and Voight, 86, a long-time Trump ally, round out the team.
However, industry experts express scepticism about the impact these appointments might have on Hollywood’s structural challenges. “They won’t be solving fundamental issues like streaming profitability or international market access,” says a veteran Hollywood analyst.
The move highlights the complex relationship between Trump and Hollywood, an industry that helped elevate his public profile through “The Apprentice” but later became a frequent target of his criticism. Trump has previously accused the industry of racism and creating “dangerous” content, while also questioning decisions like awarding the Oscar for Best Picture to South Korea’s “Parasite.”
The announcement comes just days before Trump’s January 20 inauguration, as the entertainment industry confronts its most challenging period in recent memory, battling the combined effects of the pandemic’s aftermath, labour disputes, and shifting viewer habits.
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