The word “brave” is thrown around liberally in Hollywood.
He was “brave” to gain 30 lbs. for an Oscar-bait role. She showed “bravery” with a vanity-free performance in an indie film.
The word feels diminished in that context, even if the people uttering it have the best intentions.
For true Hollywood bravery look no further than Zachary Levi.
The actor, best known for his work on NBC’s “Chuck” and the recent “Shazam!” features, just came out in support of Donald Trump.
That’s brave in and of itself. The new Hollywood blacklist discriminates against conservatives in ways both large and small. For every outlier like conservative star Jon Voight who keeps working there are dozens who keep their mouths shut for fear of career reprisal.
Levi admitted as much during a recent appearance at a Reclaim America event in Michigan featuring Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Both have endorsed Trump in recent weeks.
Levi used the appearance to do the same while acknowledging what might happen next.
“When I came out and I said I was endorsing President Trump through my endorsement of Tulsi and Bobbi. … Within my industry, as you can probably imagine, Hollywood is a very, very liberal town and this very well could constitute career suicide, so I’m glad I did it with you guys,” he said.
He couldn’t have “come out” as a Trump supporter at a worse time. Not only are we less than two months from the presidential election Levi’s career is suddenly ice cold.
His summertime release, “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” pulled in disastrous numbers for a family-friendly film – $17 million domestically. His second and likely last “Shazam!” feature, “Fury of the Gods,” drew withering reviews last year along with a paltry $57 million stateside.
He portrayed NFL icon Kurt Warner in 2021’s “American Underdog,” a solid film which still underperformed at the box office. The lingering pandemic didn’t help.
He remains a multi-talented performer (he sang on the “Tangled” soundtrack) with an agreeable persona. He still put his Hollywood career in jeopardy with his announcement.
And he knows it.
For now, Levi has projects in the pipeline. Earlier this year he joined the cast of “Free Fall,” the tale of a father attempting to reconnect with his daughter during a rock climbing expedition.
He’s also co-starring in “Sarah’s Oil,” a drama set for a Christmas Day 2025 release. Director Cyrus Nowrasteh’s film follows the remarkable true story of a young black girl who discovers oil on her property and the fight to stave off those eager to steal it.
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