Hollywood Still Blacklists Conservatives — Now They Don’t Even Hide It

Hollywood is great at keeping secrets. 

Ellen DeGeneres built a career on a relentlessly nice persona that belied her behind-the-scenes cruelty. Harvey Weinstein’s Midas touch distracted us from his predatory encounters with starlets. And Sean “Diddy” Combs turned out to be more than a music mogul — he allegedly presided over a garish, sex-obsessed ring.

The new Hollywood Blacklist, by comparison, is out in the open. Conservative artists, beware. Sharing your point of view can cost you. Dearly.

Yet very few industry types will admit or decry it. And we’re seeing even more evidence of it.

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Cheryl Hines has been working nonstop for decades, even if we all know her best as Larry’s exasperated wife (then ex-wife) on HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

But a funny thing happened to Hines on the way to her husband Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s endorsement of Donald Trump.

The roles dried up.

The in-demand comic actress hasn’t had a new gig since “Curb” wrapped two years ago. Is she turning work down? Or did her phone stop ringing? What could have changed?

Hines has been polite on the subject in a barrage of interviews, suggesting her Hollywood friendships have strained under that political weight. She also isn’t a part of Larry David’s upcoming HBO comedy series, an untitled satire co-produced by the Obamas.

The Daily Mail added that the Obamas won’t allow Hines to be part of the show.

She even got called out by Emmy winner Bradley Whitford on social media for her political ties.

…way to stay silent while your lunatic husband throws his support behind the adjudicated rapist who brags about stripping women of their fundamental rights. Gutsy. Great example for the kids. Profile in courage.

She also may have lost a long-term friendship with former podcast partner Tig Notaro. The two hosted “Tig and Cheryl: True Story” for three years before ending the show in May of 2023. Notaro helped end the show due to Hines’ husband’s political aspirations, though it’s unclear why that element had to be a show stopper.

Hines: Photo by David Crotty. Notaro: Photo by Lizeth Ramirez

Notaro suggests politics didn’t end their friendship, although it clearly forced her to quit the podcast.

I realized one day that she doesn’t ever reach out to me anymore. She responds to me, but she doesn’t reach out to me. I had to kind of shake myself out of denial that, ‘Oh, she’s gone,’ and, ‘OK, I need to let this go. I need to let it go.’

Others in Hollywood likely did just that to Hines. The Hollywood Reporter even suggested that would happen due to her political ties. The actress has been on the Left for some time, for what it’s worth, but she’s being judged based on her husband’s views.

Dennis Quaid has defied the new Hollywood Blacklist. For now.

The 71-year-old screen legend stays busy, including a supporting turn in the new Netflix action romp “War Machine.” He even starred as the title character in 2024’s “Reagan” and admitted to being a President Donald Trump supporter during the film’s publicity push.

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Still, the work keeps on coming. That’s more common with established, Right-leaning actors like Tim Allen, Kelsey Grammer, and Jon Voight. But Quaid’s political leanings, which he describes as more independent than doctrinaire conservative, still found him singled out by a peer.

A peer who recently joined him on screen.

Nick Offerman and Quaid worked together on last year’s “Sovereign,” the story of an anti-government zealot (Offerman) who pushes his conspiracy theories too far.

Offerman didn’t share a negative word about his time on the set with Quaid on the “Lovett or Leave It” podcast with former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett. Instead, he insulted the actor for thinking the “wrong” way.

“Right after we finished the movie, he suddenly came out with a gospel country record and went on Tucker Carlson and f***ing [Sean] Hannity to play his Trump gospel songs,” Offerman said. 

“What? He’s a hero of my life. I’ve looked up to him. He’s a great actor.”

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Later, the “Parks & Recreation” alum doubled down on both Dennis and brother Randy Quaid. The latter worked in Hollywood for years, but a series of bizarre incidents coaxed his exit from the industry.

“[Randy Quaid] was very crazy, and he went away, but Dennis kept it under wraps until last year,” he continued. “But he’s now gone.”

The Blacklist-style bigotry isn’t relegated to the film industry. Hip hop superstar Nicki Minaj didn’t don a red MAGA hat during President Trump’s first term, but in recent months, she noticed how the Republican leader supported Christians being persecuted in Nigeria.

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That resonated with her, and she eventually threw her celebrity cache behind the unorthodox leader. Within weeks, she became the comic target of Grammy host Trevor Noah at the gala’s annual soiree.

Nicki Minaj is not here…She’s still at the White House with Donald Trump, discussing very important issues.

He then broke out his Trump impression as the Tony crowd chortled.

Actually Nicki, I have the biggest ass! Everybody’s saying it. I know they say it’s you, but it’s me. WAP, WAP, WAP. Look at it, baby.

Her crime? Being an independent thinker, and no progressive star in Hollywood or the music industry had her back.

And actress Katherine Heigl could be next. The once-in-demand star of “Grey’s Anatomy” appeared in public earlier this month to support the Big Dog Ranch Rescue gala at Mar-A-Lago, Trump’s private retreat.

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She even brought her mom to the red carpet gala.

Heigl had to make a public statement after appearing at the apolitical event, defending her passion for worthy causes by saying, “animals don’t vote.” Could that one appearance impact her chances at a Hollywood comeback?

Ask Offerman.

And this is the stuff we see in public, not the behind-the-scenes cancellations and attacks. It’s likely far worse there.

The unofficial conservative blacklist may have weakened in recent months, with high-profile stars like Zachary Levi and Sylvester Stallone supporting Trump without overt blowback.

In some ways the bigotry against Right-leaning artists is as strong as ever.

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Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at HollywoodInToto.com.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.