'I don't do well with mandates': Woody Harrelson CRITICIZES Hollywood for forcing 'absurd' Covid protocols on movie sets
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The last three years have been devastating for the entire world. The Covid-19 pandemic got the entire world to its knees and forced everyone to stay inside their homes if they didn’t want to be victims of this life-threatening disease. The pandemic also forced the entertainment industry to take some precautions while shooting and follow a set of protocols so that everything can be carried out safely. But it seems Woody Harrelson is not happy with the way the industry is forcing the filmmakers and producers to ensure Covid protocols are in place when they start filming their respective projects. The actor, who is known for making appearances in several indie movies, has come forward in slamming Hollywood for these “absurd” Covid protocols on sets even when the entire world has now entered into normalcy and things are being done without any hesitation.
Harrelson rallied against the Covid protocols on film sets while promoting his new indie film titled ‘Champions’ in which he plays the role of a temperamental minor-league basketball coach who receives a court order to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. Even with an actor like Harrelson attached to the project, making an Indie movie is always difficult because there are a lot of times when filmmakers fail to find funding for their title, as independent films often have smaller budgets and limited resources compared to studio films. That’s why Harrelson believes that Covid protocols on a movie set are absurd and opened up about the uncertainty about the future of indie movies.
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Covid protocols on movie sets are 'absurd'
While speaking in an interview with New York Times Magazine, the 61-year-old actor noted that he loves working on independent movies, but didn’t shy away from calling out Hollywood for forcing everyone to follow Covid protocols on the movie sets. He added, “Now to get an indie done? Especially with all the Covid protocols — which, to me, are rather absurd. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
When the journalist asked why he thought the Covid protocols were absurd, Harrelson noted that people being “forced” to get tested or forced to wear the mask is absolutely ridiculous and believes that the industry should find a way to move forward from this “nonsense”. The star also mentioned that he was more concerned about the crew that works religiously on film sets.
“The fact that they’re still going on! I don’t think that anybody should have the right to demand that you’re forced to do the testing, forced to wear the mask, and forced to get vaccinated three years on. I’m just like, Let’s be done with this nonsense. It’s not fair to the crews. I don’t have to wear a mask. Why should they? Why should they have to be vaccinated? How’s that not up to the individual? It makes me angry for the crew. I’m not in the same position they’re in, but it’s wrong. It’s three years. Stop,” Harrelson told the media outlet.
The actor concluded by calling himself an “anarchist” and reiterating that he doesn’t “do well with mandates.”
Harrelson's 'anti-vaxx' joke on SNL made everyone uncomfortable
Harrelson’s comments come a couple of days after his controversial ‘Saturday Night Live’ appearance where he shared anti-vaxx views during his opening monologue. In his monologue, the actor told a joke about reading a script he read before the pandemic started that primarily focused on the biggest drug cartels in the world getting together and buying all the media to force everyone to stay locked in their homes.
He added, “The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes, and people can only come out if they take the cartel's drugs and keep taking them over and over.”
The aforementioned joke divided the internet and a lot of people slammed the actor’s views on vaccination.