When Hollywood A-listers aren’t spending hours in hair and makeup, pretending to be prisoners of war, or doing an equally demanding lemon water detox, they’re pursuing a different mission altogether: convincing people to vote.
Filmmaker Joss Whedon is leading the charge with a super PAC called “Save the Day,” with the aim of getting as many people in voting booths as possible come November 8. To help him do that, he’s enlisted the assistance of nearly every TV and film star on the planet. In a short video to bolster the campaign, 27 actors—including stars as renowned as Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Keegan-Michael Key, and Neil Patrick Harris—look into the camera and plead people to vote.
In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Whedon said,
“It’s about targeting people who either aren’t going to vote or have been anesthetized out of voting—fighting the sort of apathy and cynicism that says, ‘It doesn’t matter if I vote.’ [Voting] matters more than any single thing you’re going to do in the next two years. It’s the exact definition of democracy. It is a heroic and necessary act.”
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At the same time, the style and tone of the videos clearly make fun of traditional campaign ads. After a slew of celebrities start off the video by saying how important it is to vote, Robert Downey Jr. launches a wry sentiment, saying, “The only way we can prove that to you is by having lots of famous people repeating how important it is.” They then promise that if you vote, Mark Ruffalo will have a nude scene in his next movie. Now that’s the kind of proposal that can cross party lines.
While never mentioning either presidential candidate by name, Don Cheadle implores viewers to keep “a racist, abusive coward who could permanently damage the fabric of our society” out of office. (You have one chance to guess who he’s talking about.) Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr. echoes that point, asking viewers why we’d want to “give nuclear weapons to a man whose signature move is firing things.” By the end of the three-minute video, it becomes very clear who Whedon’s super PAC wants you to vote for (hint: not Donald Trump).
Watch the video above and just look into Jesse Williams’ eyes. Can you really say no to that face?
Do these celebrities and your country a favor and register to vote.
