Jane Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment has taken to Instagram to express their thoughts on President Donald Trump’s reported desire for more “Rush Hour” films, suggesting he has a significant interest in the franchise. In a recent video, actors, including Emmy-nominated Ed Begley Jr., joke about the lack of diversity in Hollywood films, specifically referring to the dominance of “Rush Hour” sequels.
The video is a lighthearted jab at Trump following reports that his friend, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, won the competitive bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, which possesses the rights to the “Rush Hour” series. Trump has previously been indicated to have “pushed” Ellison to expedite a new entry in the beloved action-comedy lineup.
The first three “Rush Hour” films, directed by Brett Ratner—who faced allegations of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement—are a significant part of Hollywood history. Despite Ratner’s past controversies, the desire for a new film continues to spark debate.
In Fonda’s video, humor takes center stage as she and several other actors audition for roles in what they describe as a “Rush Hour-only Hollywood.” The star of “Grace and Frankie” and an advocate for free expression laments the influence of political alliances on the film industry, declaring in the clip, “I can’t get any movies that I want made. I’m hoping Rush Hour… will please the right people and maybe I’ll get a job.”
The video emphasizes the concerns regarding corporations potentially ceding content control to political figures, portraying it as detrimental to artistic freedom. The caption critiques media companies that make decisions based on political favors, highlighting the parallels between current events and the Hollywood landscape during the 1940s, when Fonda’s father, Henry Fonda, co-founded the Committee in response to McCarthy-era suppression.
Fonda and her fellow actors, including Bobby Berk, Yvette Nicole Brown, and others, use humor to convey a serious message about artistic integrity and the potential conflicts arising from political influence in content creation. This ongoing dialogue reflects a broader discourse on the relationships between power, media, and creativity in contemporary Hollywood.