Skip to main content
Tags: top | hollywood | republican | celebrities | newsmax | list

Top 30 Hollywood Republican Celebrities: A Newsmax List

Top 30 Hollywood Republican Celebrities: A Newsmax List
Actor and Director Clint Eastwood motions to a chair that represents President Barack Obama during his speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa on August 30, 2012. (Matthew Healey/UPI/Landov, file)  

By    |   Tuesday, 10 February 2015 04:02 PM EST

Hollywood is a very tough, unpopular, and lonely place to live and work for a conservative.

When liberal politicians want to raise funds and seek help for their campaigns, Hollywood is the first place they turn. It's where Clintons and Obama are loudly praised and lavishly financed.

Dr. David Prindle, professor of government at the University of Texas, Austin, conducted a 1990 study of Tinsel Town movie, television, and entertainment business luminaries and found that "the leaders in Hollywood were overwhelmingly liberal in their ideology."

"They were very much to the left of the public in general on social, foreign policy, and economic issues," he told Newsmax.

Just 30 percent of the public said they were liberal, compared to 60 percent of Hollywood's elite. While 43 percent of the general public said they were conservative, only 14 percent of Hollywood leaders claimed the label.

The study, Prindle said, offered "proof positive" that Hollywood is a "bastion of liberal politics."

"In Hollywood, if you say you're a conservative, the translation is you're a bad person," Ben Shapiro, author of "Primetime Propaganda: The True Hollywood Story of How the Left Took Over Your TV" and host of "The Ben Shapiro Show," told Newsmax.

"There's a pretense of patriotism. Hollywood won't go anti-military, but otherwise, it's as left as it ever was . . . People routinely get berated on set if they say they're on the right side and dare to speak about it. They will keep you out of the writers circle and not pick you at auditions," he continued.

"If you are well-established, you can say what you want, but if you are an up-and-comer and it becomes known you are a conservative, you'll start missing opportunities right and left . . . No question, there is a career price to pay if you are openly known as a conservative."

However, some of Hollywood's top stars and producers buck the prevailing trend and proudly declare their conservative credentials. They back right-leaning candidates, join conservative groups, spend their own money, raise more to help GOP politicians and parties, and turn to social media to voice their principles.

Some top Hollywood conservatives still can get their projects funded, Prindle commented, because they are too profitable to blacklist.

Vote Now: Which Potential GOP Candidate Would You Support in 2016?

"When it comes to investment, the urge to make money is greater than political ideology," he told Newsmax.

Here is Newsmax’s list of Hollywood's celebrities who, despite their unfashionable politics, have succeeded in show business. Some are formal members of the Republican Party, while others simply speak freely about their conservative or libertarian values.

While it’s impossible to put them all under one specific umbrella, there is one thing they are for certain: Not liberal. And in Hollywood, that stands out.

1. Clint Eastwood - Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood kicked off a firestorm of liberal criticism with his latest production, "American Sniper." But Eastwood's conservative credentials go well beyond mere movies. At the 2012 Republican Convention, Eastwood famously and critically addressed an empty chair representing candidate Barack Obama and supported GOP candidate Mitt Romney. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Eastwood, 84, once said, "I became more of a libertarian. Let’s leave everybody alone, quit screwing with everybody and don’t over-regulate."

2. Shannen Doherty - "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Charmed" star Shannen Doherty once termed herself a "conservative" who was an "avid" supporter of Ronald Reagan, and commented, "I realize that the majority of people in the entertainment business happen to be Democrats. I have no problem with that. And they should have no problem with the fact that I'm a Republican."

3. Robert Downey Jr.
- Star of the "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes" franchises, Robert Downey Jr. is an avowed conservative who told The New York Times in 2009, "I have a really interesting political point of view, and it’s not always something I say too loud at dinner tables here, but you can’t go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal."

4. Melissa Joan Hart - Actress Melissa Joan Hart, star of "Sabrina The Teenage Witch," says that when she supported Mitt Romney, "I got called every name in the book. It schooled me in the fact that you just don't talk about politics in Hollywood. It is sort of like a blacklist. It's a little scary."

5. Kelsey Grammer
- "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer backed Rudy Giuliani for mayor of New York and founded the now-defunct RightNetwork, a conservative entertainment company. The actor told Jay Leno during a 2012 appearance that he believes he did not receive an Oscar nomination because "I'm a declared out-of-the-closet Republican in Hollywood."

6. Victoria Jackson - "Saturday Night Live" alumna Victoria Jackson is a very active conservative who supported the presidential candidacies of Rick Santorum and Michele Bachmann. She once described her beliefs to Politico as “pro-life, less government, strong military."

7. Dennis Miller - Former "SNL" star Dennis Miller converted from being a Democrat to becoming a well-known conservative pundit with his own daily radio talk show and regular appearances on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor."

8. Rob Schneider - Comic Rob Schneider has expressed admiration for former Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The California resident once reportedly said, "I’ve been a lifelong Democrat and I have to switch over because it no longer serves the people of this great state."

9. Patricia Heaton - Christian pro-lifer Patricia Heaton from "Everybody Loves Raymond" publicly took Rush Limbaugh's side in blasting Sandra Fluke over free birth control. She campaigned for the McCain/Palin ticket in 2008 and the Romney/Ryan ticket in 2012.

10. Angie Harmon - "Law and Order" and "Rizzoli and Isles" star Angie Harmon is no fan of Barack Obama. "I’m just not crazy about what he's doing," she said in 2009, according to Fox News. "I do think (Sen. John) McCain would have done a better job."

She also admires former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. When she "came out" as a Republican, Harmon, who considers herself a "liberal Republican," was heavily criticized. "Call it naïveté or stupidity, but I didn't know that unless you are a Democrat, you aren't allowed to talk politics in Hollywood," she said in the September 2013 issue of More magazine.

She also addressed the Republican Convention in 2004.

11. Jerry Bruckheimer - Producer of the "CSI" series and a host of movies such as "Blackhawk Down," Jerry Bruckheimer has supported Republican candidates and told Sean Hannity it has not hurt him in Hollywood. "It is always about the work and if you do good work, people will honor you and work with you again. It is never about your politics."

Vote Now: Do You Approve or Disapprove of President Obama's Job Performance?

12. Vince Vaughn - "Wedding Crashers" star Vince Vaughn was an avid supporter of libertarian Ron Paul's presidential candidacies in 2008 and 2012.

"I’ve always been, you know, more conservative than not," he told Adam Carolla in a 2013 interview.

13. Tom Selleck - "Magnum P.I." star Tom Selleck endorsed Sen. John McCain for president in 2008 and is a board member of the National Rifle Association

"It's not that conservatives don't care," Selleck said. "We do. We just have different answers than liberals do. It's a difference of the mind, not of the heart."

14. James Woods - Award-winning actor James Woods once said, "I think Barack Obama is a threat to the integrity and future of the Republic. This President is a true abomination." Woods has taken to Twitter on many occasions with a stream of conservative postings, adding, "I don’t expect to work again."

15. Jon Voight - Actor Jon Voight switched from liberal to conservative and has said in the past that "economically, we're headed for disaster. And politically, philosophically, we've been raided in the United States by the left."

16. Gary Sinise - A major supporter of the military, Gary Sinise has traveled to entertain U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Europe, Asia, and Guantanamo Bay, and started the Gary Sinese Foundation to help America's military members and families. The "Forrest Gump" star also is a founding member of Friends of Abe, a Hollywood conservative group.

17. Bruce Willis - "Die Hard" star Bruce Willis denies the label "Republican," claiming to dislike both parties, but has espoused conservative ideals, including opposing gun control and blasting the 75 percent French "millionaire's tax."

"I think that you can’t start to pick apart anything out of the Bill of Rights without thinking that it’s all going to become undone," Willis said in a 2013 interview, according to Last Resistance.

18. Adam Sandler - Funnyman Adam Sandler is a registered Republican and once donated $2,100 to Rudy Giuliani's campaign for president. He also performed at the 2004 Republican Convention.

19. Chuck Norris
- Tough guy actor Chuck Norris of "Walker, Texas Ranger" fame is a committed Christian who supported GOP candidate Mike Huckabee in 2008 and regularly writes conservative columns for World Net Daily. In 2012, Norris recorded a video aimed at evangelicals urging them to vote against Obama.

20. Gerald Molen - "Schindler's List" producer Gerald Molen supported Romney over Obama and once told IndieWire, "I’ve always been basically a fiscal conservative. Today, those on the right have a tendency to hide their politics because the left is vindictive."

21. Stacy Dash
- "Clueless" star Stacy Dash was widely blasted when she voiced her support for Mitt Romney over Obama, posting on Twitter, "Vote for Romney. The only choice for your future." Dash's conservative leanings led her to sign on as a Fox News contributor last year.

22. Robert Duvall - "The Godfather" and "The Judge" star Robert Duvall backed Mitt Romney in 2012 and narrated a video for the Republican National Convention in 2008. He also raised $800,000 for Romney and appeared on stage with Sarah Palin and John McCain at a New Mexico rally.

23. Gene Simmons - "Kiss" rocker Gene Simmons publicly supported Mitt Romney in 2012.

"The 1 percent provides all the jobs for everybody else. If the one percent didn’t exist, there would be chaos and the American economy would drop dead. I don’t remember the last poor person who gave me a job," he told The San Diego Union-Tribune in a July 2014 interview.

He's also said of Obama, "I think that our president is not being a leader."

24. Dwayne Johnson - Wrestling and acting star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson performed at the 2000 Republican Convention, expressed admiration for President Reagan, and said he hopes for a political career when his acting days are done.

25. LL Cool J - Rapper LL Cool J backed former GOP New York Gov. George Pataki in 2002 and attended the Republican Convention in 2004, where he supported Sen. John McCain.

26. Arnold Schwarzenegger - "Terminator" star and Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger served two terms as the governor of California. Describing himself as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate, his pro-choice abortion stance and support for gun control and stem cell research made some conservatives uncomfortable with the GOP governor.

Urgent: Who Should the GOP Nominate in 2016? Vote Here Now

27. Sylvester Stallone - "Rambo" and "Rocky" franchise star Sylvester Stallone has long been regarded as a hardcore conservative, announcing his support for McCain in 2008. He's a registered Republican, although his strong advocacy for gun control earned him a place on the NRA's "enemy list."

28. Pat Boone - Longtime singer and one-time teen idol Pat Boone, well known as a conservative Christian, has called Obama a "Marxist" and insists that the president is a Kenyan-born Muslim. He campaigned for Ronald Reagan and recorded voter drive messages for McCain in 2008. In 2011, Boone received a lifetime achievement award from the Conservative Political Action Conference.

29. James Caan - "The Godfather" star James Caan told Fox News in 2010, "I'm an ultra conservative. I'm not a GD Hollywood liberal. I'm not." He has said he is a fan of Fox News and only watches Bill O'Reilly. He once told Larry King, "I am, at the present time . . . a conservative."

30. Susan Lucci - "All My Children" soap star Susan Lucci is one of Hollywood's outspoken conservatives. A registered Republican, Lucci held fundraising events for New York City GOP Mayor Rudy Giuliani. However, she also is a converted supporter of LGBT rights, since her daughter, Bianca, came out as gay in 2000.

© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
Here is Newsmax’s list of Hollywood's celebrities who, despite their unfashionable conservative politics, have succeeded in show business. Some are formal members of the Republican Party, while others simply speak freely about their conservative or libertarian values.
top, hollywood, republican, celebrities, newsmax, list
2096
2015-02-10
Tuesday, 10 February 2015 04:02 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved