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Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Sean Penn has worked to set an example in Hollywood on how to live responsibly in difficult times. Whether it’s offering free COVID-19 tests at last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests or having his own “COVID wedding” with Leila George, the actor has been keen to follow the guidelines recommended by scientists and experts. In July, Penn again took a stand for his beliefs when he refused to return to the set of Gas lit – a limited Starz series on the Watergate scandal with Julia Roberts – unless all of the cast and crew are vaccinated.
“It’s one of those things that should be mandatory,” Penn told Yahoo Entertainment during a conversation about his latest directorial effort, Flag day, which hits theaters on August 20. The actor and filmmaker also likens vaccination warrants to driver’s licenses, calling them “no different than anyone can drive 100 miles an hour in a car.” (Watch our video interview above.)
While a strong supporter of mandatory vaccinations, Penn is mindful of people who cannot receive any of the COVID vaccines currently on the market due to underlying health issues. But he also admits he’s “frustrated” by the resistance he’s seen among the unvaccinated American population who are able to receive a vaccine but have been hesitant to schedule their first dose. “There are different types of hesitation, and so I don’t think there are many excuses for not knowing the information available anymore,” he says.
“That’s part of why I think it should be mandatory,” Penn continues. “A resistance that’s just based on a certain type of … lack of imagination and understanding of all that is useful to the human race, I’ve become very frustrated with it. But I can only work in my own. limits and say that for me it should be mandatory. ”
Penn isn’t the only player publicly advocating for vaccination amid the surge in cases due to the widely circulating Delta variant. In a recent interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Matt Damon refrained from calling for making vaccines mandatory, but strongly urged refractories to trust science. “It’s a personal choice. It’s the beauty of America, it’s a free country,” noted the Still water Star. “And none of us would have it any other way. But I’m strongly on the side of trusting science more than something you read on Facebook.”
By moving away from Gas lit, Penn was one of the first big Hollywood stars to impose compulsory vaccination to return to work on a film set. And because of his actions, it is possible that other Hollywood studios and celebrities will make the same choice. In the current absence of a federal vaccine mandate, Penn believes it is up to individuals and businesses to take the necessary steps to increase America’s vaccinated population at a critical time in the pandemic arc. “I think the movie industry [and] all businesses need to take the lead and not be so timid, ”he says.
– Video produced by Jen Kucsak, edited by Jimmie Rhee
Flag day premieres in theaters on August 20
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