Disney\u2019s decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel\u2019s late-night show<\/a> represents a \u201cdark moment for freedom of speech in our nation,\u201d more than 400 Hollywood celebrities wrote in an open letter released by the American Civil Liberties Union on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cWe the people must never accept government threats to our freedom of speech,\u201d the letter says<\/a>. \u201cEfforts by leaders to pressure artists, journalists, and companies with retaliation for their speech strike at the heart of what it means to live in a free country.\u201d <\/p>\n The stars who signed the letter include Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Billy Crystal, Robert De Niro, Jane Fonda, Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, Meryl Streep and Kerry Washington.<\/p>\n The ACLU released the letter five days after the Disney-owned broadcast network ABC announced it was \u201cindefinitely\u201d pre-empting \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d amid criticism of Kimmel\u2019s on-air remarks about the MAGA movement\u2019s response to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.<\/p>\n ABC pulled the show hours after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr<\/a>, who regulates the broadcast television industry, publicly blasted Kimmel and threatened to revoke licenses from ABC affiliate stations. Nexstar, an owner of ABC affiliate stations across the United States, then announced it would pre-empt Kimmel\u2019s show \u201cfor the foreseeable future.\u201d<\/p>\n The firestorm has thrust Disney into a roiling debate over free speech. Democrats, First Amendment advocates and Kimmel\u2019s defenders have since assailed Disney and ABC<\/a> for appearing to cave to pressure from the Trump administration. President Donald Trump, who appointed Carr as head of the FCC at the start of his second term, hailed ABC\u2019s move as \u201cGreat News for America.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cIn an attempt to silence its critics, our government has resorted to threatening the livelihoods of journalists, talk show hosts, artists, creatives, and entertainers across the board,\u201d the Hollywood stars wrote in the ACLU\u2019s open letter. \u201cThis runs counter to the values our nation was built upon, and our Constitution guarantees.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe know this moment is bigger than us and our industry,\u201d the celebrities added. \u201cTeachers, government employees, law firms, researchers, universities, students and so many more are also facing direct attacks on their freedom of expression.\u201d<\/p>\n In the wake of Kirk\u2019s assassination at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, teachers and professors<\/a> across the U.S. have been fired or disciplined over social media posts about the Turning Point USA co-founder that were deemed inappropriate. Vice President JD Vance has encouraged people to report those who celebrate Kirk\u2019s death to their employers.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the moment to defend free speech across our nation,\u201d the stars added. \u201cWe encourage all Americans to join us, along with the ACLU, in the fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights.\u201d<\/p>\n The letter did not make a specific demand of Disney. In response to Disney\u2019s decision to suspend Kimmel, some in Hollywood have threatened to cut ties with the media conglomerate or urged viewers to opt out of Disney products. <\/p>\n \u201cLost\u201d co-creator Damon Lindelof said he would not work with the company unless Kimmel\u2019s suspension was lifted. (\u201cLost\u201d aired on ABC for six seasons.) Tatiana Maslany, star of the Disney+ series \u201cShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law,\u201d called on her social media followers to \u201ccancel your @disneyplus @hulu @espn subscriptions!\u201d (Disney owns Hulu and ESPN.)<\/p>\n The boycott calls appeared to be growing online Monday, with scores of Reddit users pledging to nix their Disney streaming subscriptions. \u201cIt\u2019s the only thing they will notice,\u201d the title of the original Reddit post said.<\/p>\n The ACLU released the letter shortly after Disney debuted a teaser trailer for the Star Wars movie \u201cThe Mandalorian and Grogu,\u201d which is set to premiere in theaters next year. Pedro Pascal, who portrays the Mandalorian on the big and small screens, signed the letter and publicly backed Kimmel on Instagram.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cStanding with you @jimmykimmellive Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY,\u201d Pascal wrote.<\/p>\n The fate of \u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d remained unclear Monday morning. The show has been on ABC since 2003, airing more than 3,500 episodes across 23 broadcast seasons. In recent years, Kimmel has positioned himself as a vocal critic of Trump and Republican politicians. Trump has slammed Kimmel, too, referring to him a \u201closer\u201d and calling on ABC to cancel his show.<\/p>\n In a monologue last week, Kimmel expressed condolences to the Kirk family but criticized Republicans for their reaction to his killing. \u201cWe hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Authorities have charged the suspect, Tyler Robinson, 22, with murder. Officials said Robinson grew up in a conservative household in Utah but later became influenced by \u201cleftist ideology.\u201d <\/p>\n Robinson\u2019s mother told investigators that \u201cover the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left \u2014 becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,\u201d according to charging documents.<\/p>\n In an interview last week with conservative commentator Benny Johnson, Carr said Kimmel\u2019s remarks were part of a \u201cconcerted effort to lie to the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n Carr, asked about the Kimmel saga at a conference Monday, insisted that Disney, \u201con its own,\u201d made a \u201cbusiness decision\u201d to pre-empt the late-night host\u2019s show. He then accused Democratic lawmakers of \u201cdistorting what happened here\u201d with accusations of government coercion and censorship.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Jimmy](\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best\/rockcms\/2025-09\/250917-jimmy-kimmel-ew-645p-1c7ecc.jpg\")
\u201cJimmy Kimmel Live!\u201d has been broadcast on ABC since 2003.<\/span>Randy Holmes \/ Disney<\/span><\/p>\n