Oscar Isaac, the actor who brought Resistance pilot Poe Dameron to life, has declared he is 'not so open to working with Disney' and would only consider a return to the Star Wars franchise if the entertainment giant resists what he termed 'fascism'.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away... For Now
In a candid interview with GQ magazine published on Monday, Isaac was asked about the possibility of once again donning his flight suit. He played the charismatic X-wing fighter pilot across three Star Wars films from 2015 to 2019, starting with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
While not entirely closing the door, Isaac expressed significant reservations. 'Yeah. I mean, I'd be open to it, although right now I'm not so open to working with Disney,' he stated. He then added a crucial condition: 'But if they can kinda figure it out and, you know, not succumb to fascism, that would be great... if that happens, then yeah, I'd be open to having a conversation about a galaxy far away.'
The Jimmy Kimmel Controversy
The actor's pointed comments are directly linked to Disney's recent suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The GQ interview was conducted just two days after Kimmel was suspended by ABC and Disney in September.
The suspension followed comments Kimmel made on his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, concerning the Trump administration's response to a specific incident. His remarks attracted the ire of Brendan Carr, the pro-Trump chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), who threatened the broadcasting licenses of Disney and local stations airing the show.
When Kimmel was reinstated four days later, on 23 September, former President Donald Trump took to social media to express his disbelief, calling ABC a 'true bunch of losers' for bringing the host back.
Industry Backlash and Cancellation Spike
Isaac is far from alone in his criticism of Disney's handling of the situation. The decision, which the New York Times reported was made by Disney CEO Bob Iger and television head Dana Walden, sparked a significant backlash from within the entertainment industry.
A number of high-profile figures publicly condemned the suspension and voiced support for Kimmel. The list of supporters includes:
- Pedro Pascal
- Mark Ruffalo
- Olivia Rodrigo
The protest took more concrete forms as well. Tatiana Maslany, who stars as She-Hulk in the Disney-owned Marvel Cinematic Universe, urged her followers to cancel their subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. Showrunner Damon Lindelof, creator of the ABC series Lost, vowed he would not work with Disney+ again until Kimmel was back on air.
The public reaction had a measurable financial impact. Reports indicated that cancellation rates for Disney+ and Hulu reportedly doubled in the wake of the suspension.
The political fallout continues, with FCC chair Brendan Carr scheduled to testify before the Senate commerce committee in December. He will be questioned on whether he pressured broadcasters to remove Kimmel. The committee chair, Senator Ted Cruz, has previously described Carr's comments as 'dangerous as hell'.
Meanwhile, Oscar Isaac is currently promoting his latest project, Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein, where he takes on the role of the titular anatomist.
