Marvel star Mark Ruffalo sharply criticized the federal government under President Donald Trump on Thursday, likening it to the Taliban after ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show. Ruffalo made the remarks during a kickoff call for the upcoming October 18 “No Kings” protest.
What Happened
ABC and parent company Disney announced Wednesday night that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be suspended “indefinitely.” The move came after Kimmel condemned conservatives for attempting to frame Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassin as left-leaning, despite authorities confirming the shooter’s political leanings. “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid … and doing everything they can to score political points,” Kimmel said before the suspension.
Ruffalo’s Comments
Ruffalo, 57, claimed that Kimmel’s suspension amounted to government-backed censorship. “This cancellation is the U.S. government coming and taking your voice away from you,” Ruffalo said. “It is the government doing it now. And that’s where we all have to come together.”
He warned that such actions resembled the tactics of authoritarian regimes: “Authoritarian regimes, fascist regimes have to degrade our freedoms more and more until we’re living the smallest, the most frightened, the most secretive lives. Think of yourselves living under the Taliban because that’s where we’re headed.”
Public and Social Media Reactions
The actor also took to Threads, responding to reports of Disney stock sliding seven percent after announcing the suspension. “It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show,” Ruffalo wrote. “Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.”
Earlier in his live stream, Ruffalo referenced fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert’s speech at the Emmys after his own cancellation earlier this summer. “We wake up every day with some new shocking news that makes us question…is this our reality? Is this America? But what we’re reminded of every day is it is, and it’s a fragile democracy,” he said.
Official Statements and What Happens Next
Fox News Digital reported it reached out to Ruffalo’s representatives for further comment. ABC and Disney have not publicly elaborated beyond announcing Kimmel’s suspension. Meanwhile, Ruffalo and other critics are calling on supporters to rally at the “No Kings” protest, framing the suspensions of Kimmel and Colbert as warning signs for the future of free speech.
This story may be updated with more information as it becomes available.
