U.S. exodus of Trump’s Hollywood critics like Rosie, Ellen has dimmed their stars

For much of the Donald Trump era, Ellen DeGeneres was a daytime television powerhouse known for blending celebrity access, progressive takes on events, and mass-market appeal. The Ellen DeGeneres Show reached millions every weekday and her political and cultural endorsements carried real weight.Today that role is gone for the frequent Trump critic. DeGeneres’s show was canceled in 2023, and she’s since stepped away from television entirely, sold most of her properties in the U.S., and moved to the U.K. with her wife, Portia de Rossi, because of Trump’s reelection.
Now she is in the process of reinventing herself, not as a political voice but as what she calls an “age positive”  lifestyle brand called Kind Science. Once a frequent commentator about social values and political norms, she now speaks mostly to potential customers.
“I am going to do something right now that’s going to go,’Pooo, Whaatt,” she says at the start of the promotional video for the brand. “It’s called the no-fuss visible wrinkle reducer.”
The evolution of the 67-year-old entertainer offers an insight into what might happen when celebrity dissent outlives the moment that made it relevant.
DeGeneres did return to the public arena in defense of Rosie O’Donnell, another frequent Trump critic. In July, the president said he was giving “serious consideration” to revoking O’Donnell’s citizenship, a declaration that sparked widespread media coverage.
DeGeneres publicly defended O’Donnell, calling the idea of revoking a citizen’s passport for what she called personal reasons was “incompatible with democratic principles.”
O’Donnell has been more explicit than DeGeneres in framing her move abroad in political terms.
Earlier this year, the 63-year-old comedian and former talk show host said she moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old non-binary child, Clay, because of concerns about the political direction in the U.S.
“I moved here for my child,” O’Donnell said, adding that she would consider returning “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights in America.” She moved just five days before Trump’s inauguration.
While the move across the Atlantic gave O’Donnell distance from American politics, Trump’s remarks showed that she could not escape it completely. 
Last week, O’Donnell, who frequently posts about Trump on social media, said her therapist urged her to “detach” from posting about the president for two days. However, she caved within hours.
The feud between Trump and O’Donnell dates back 30 years, to far before Trump entered politics.
“You want to revoke my citizenship? Well, I’m not yours to silence and I never was,” O’Donnell said.
DeGeneres and O’Donnell represent two paths for celebrity dissidents – withdrawal and confrontation from abroad.
Other celebrity Trump critics have taken variations of one or the other of those paths.
Madonna, 67, relocated to Portugal during the first Trump term, hinting that the move was a symbolic rejection of American politics. But the move turned out to be temporary, and while the singer remains culturally visible, her political influence appears to have waned in the last decade.
Jim Carrey, who had once been among the most outspoken celebrity Trump critics, has largely withdrawn from Hollywood and political commentary, focusing instead on painting and personal projects while spending more time in Canada. The 63-year-old Canadian holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship.
Meanwhile, other celebrities appear to be preparing quieter exits.
Actress Angelina Jolie, 50, another Trump critic, is reportedly looking to sell her historic Los Angeles home in preparation for a move abroad, though it is not clear if the plan is directly related to the Trump administration. Jolie’s father, actor Jon Voight, is a vocal Trump supporter.
Comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, 58, recently became an Italian citizen and says he is considering a move abroad, though he has not announced specific plans. Kimmel’s talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, was briefly cancelled amid criticism from the White House.
Actress Eva Longoria is now splitting time between Mexico and Spain, though the 50-year-old has sought to quell speculation that the move was motivated entirely by politics.

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