When Mega Hollywood Stars Rolled Out This Anti-Trump Video That He Wouldn't Want You to See

Former President Donald Trump would have been embarrassed at the singular act of political activity during the intense 2016 presidential election season which saw Hollywood glitterati come together. A star-studded anti-Trump commercial featuring A-list celebrities was created and spearheaded by renowned director Joss Whedon. The movie's goal was to organize voters against then-candidate Trump.

Known for his work on The Avengers and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon directed the resultant video, Important, which included the who's who of Hollywood, per The Hollywood Reporter. Celebrities including Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and many more, contributed their voices and faces to the cause. Ruffalo advises in the video, “Tell the world you care about what happens to it.” Agent Coulson, alias Clark Gregg, remarks, “See, this isn’t just an election. It’s a tipping point.” The West Wing actor Martin Sheen asserts, “We cannot pretend that both sides are equally unfavorable.”

Although several good arguments are raised, the best one is offered by Don Cheadle, who portrays War Machine in many Avengers movies: we cannot allow “a racist, abusive coward who could permanently damage the fabric of our society” to hold the nation's highest office, per Inverse. Known for his portrayal as the Hulk, Ruffalo made a cheeky vow in one of the video's most talked-about moments, per Campaign. If people showed up to vote, he jokingly promised to do a nude scene in his next film, to which Downey Jr. said, "Mark's gonna have his d**k out."

The video's idea was straightforward yet powerful: celebrities encouraged viewers to cast their ballots, highlighting the significance and power of each person's vote. “It’s not about attacking because Donny’s real good at attacking himself,” says Whedon. “It’s about getting people to vote because it’s frightening the apathy that people are treating the most crucial election of their lifetimes with.”

The video originated from Whedon's pro-Hillary Clinton Super PAC Save the Day. His objective was very clear: he wanted to stop Trump from becoming president by promoting voting, particularly among younger and historically disadvantaged groups. The main tactic was to use Hollywood's star power to convey a powerful message.

Along with other A-list celebrities, the video features Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Cobie Smulders, Stanley Tucci, and Neil Patrick Harris. The celebrities framed the election as a turning point in American history by bringing attention to topics like equality, climate change, and civil rights.

Hollywood has had a long tradition of endorsing Democratic politicians, and Whedon is one of several well-known figures in the entertainment sector who donated to Clinton in the 2016 election. 2015 saw generous donations of $1 million each from media magnate Haim Saban, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Steven Spielberg to the pro-Clinton super PAC Priorities USA. Norman Lear established the progressive nonprofit organization People for the American Way as early as 1980. Even in these upcoming elections, with powerhouses like Robert De Niro backing Democrats, the mix of Hollywood with politics isn't over.