Will play into extremists’ hands’
British stars lead Hollywood awards night protests against president’s ‘divisive’ action
Johnson said he would be making a Commons statement this afternoon. Whitehall sources made clear that he was crucial in ensuring Britons would not be caught by the bans. The petition was rising at a rate of 2,000 names a minute. It was already the fastest rising petition since online BRITISH stars led the protests as a host of Hollywood actors voiced their anger at Donald Trump’s travel ban.
On the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los
Angeles, actor Dev Patel branded Mr Trump’s executive order as “horrible” and “divisive”.
The Lion and Slumdog Millionaire leading man said he found it utterly devastating that the president has barred entry to nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries.
“I just flew in from India a day ago. When I heard the news it was utterly devastating,” he said.
“The first thing that came into my head was the children who arrive on these shores with hope in their hearts. It’s horrible. It’s divisive,” he added. “I hope something changes and something can be done because it really is terrible.”
London-born Mr Patel, 26, was nominated for best supporting actor in the film Lion, the true story of Saroo Brierley, a young Indian boy who was separated from his family and adopted in Australia.
The awards show was dominated by the number of stars speaking out against the new president’s immigration policy.
Star Wars actor Riz Ahmed, born in Wembley, urged people to
“make your voices heard” and revealed he knew people hit by the US travel ban, which affects nationals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
“Now is not a time for escapism,” he said. “If people care about the future of this country and the world ... it’s time to make your voices heard.” Mr Ahmed, 34, also said he had launched a campaign to help young Syrian refugees. The Rogue One star, whose parents moved to the UK from Pakistan, was
petitions were launched. The ban on seven mainly-Muslim countries is due to last 90 days, while a bar on refugees is for 120. nominated for best actor in a limited TV series for HBO crime drama The Night Of.
Ashton Kutcher set the tone for the evening in his opening speech, saying: “Everyone at airports who belong in my America, you are a part of the fabric of who we are — we welcome you.”
Veep actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, whose father was an immigrant from Nazi-occupied France, added: “The immigrant ban is a blemish and it’s un-American. We are grateful for them, we stand with them, and we will fight for them.”
Mahershala Ali, who won the best supporting actor award for his role in Moonlight, said: “My mother is an ordained minister, I’m a
Muslim; she didn’t do back-flips when I converted 17 years ago. But I’ll tell you now, we put things to the side, I was able to see her, she was able to see me. We love each other, the love is real, and that stuff in minutiae, it’s not that important.”
Actor Simon Helberg and his wife had a clear message for Mr Trump. The Big Bang Theory star held a placard with “Refugees Welcome” while Jocelyn Towne had “Let Them In” written across her chest.
Emma Stone, named best actress for La La Land, said: “I’m so grateful to be part of a group of people that cares and wants to reflect things back to society.”