In the wake of the assassination last week of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, the Trump administration and other reactionary movements have wielded the act as a tool to silence critics of Kirk’s views, and those who are critical of the Trump administration more broadly. One of the most highly publicized instances of this was Disney-owned ABC’s pulling of Jimmy Kimmel Live, following pressure from the FCC, after the talk show ran a segment that said the Trump administration had latched onto the event in order to “score political points.” In response, several public figures have spoken out in protest, including some actors who have prominently worked for Disney by appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marisa Tomei, who plays Spider-Man’s Aunt May in the superhero franchise, took to Instagram to urge people to boycott Disney, including the Marvel movies she starred in, from Captain America: Civil War in 2016 to Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021. May was killed in the last Spider-Man movie by the Green Goblin, and given that her death was a thematic pillar of the film, it was unlikely that Tomei would have been asked to reprise the role, but still, speaking out against one of the most powerful companies in modern media isn’t nothing.
Marisa Tomei reshares post urging for the boycott of Disney brands. pic.twitter.com/7Ni0CSu3ui
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) September 19, 2025
Meanwhile Tatiana Maslany, the actor behind the titular hero of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, posted on social media urging people to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions. Maslany’s post was even more pointed, with her Instagram story featuring a photo of her in a motion capture suit while shooting the She-Hulk series.
Not everyone would risk their entire career for what’s right. Tatiana Maslany just did. She could lose She-Hulk, but she spoke out against Disney anyway. Respect. pic.twitter.com/MvAcEG9gOf
— Best of She-Hulk (@comfortshehulk) September 18, 2025
Not every public figure is being so forthright in opposition to the pulling of Jimmy Kimmel Live, with Kimmel’s fellow late night host, Jimmy Fallon, tiptoeing around the issue during his latest monologue. At least we have The Daily Show’s segment on the matter.
Kirk’s death continues to have ripple effects throughout popular culture a week after he was shot at the Utah Valley University campus. The alleged shooter’s video game history has government officials rehashing old arguments about the correlation between video games and real-world violence.
