“Just because someone is richer than you doesn’t mean they don’t deserve empathy.”
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An actor named Randy stated this in a TikTok video I watched this evening, which has already garnered nearly two million views.
I agree, and I’ll enthusiastically add that many actors are genuinely good people. From my experience, so many of them are socially conscious and aware, fighting for important causes like social equity, animal rights, and protecting the environment. That said, it’s important to acknowledge that the industry they are a part of creates an enormous carbon footprint. For example, private air travel is often used for convenience or maintaining visibility—practices directly tied to industry standards and the demands placed on actors to generate capital for projects.
This isn’t about demonizing individuals but rather about looking at the bigger picture. Accountability is needed within the entertainment industry to ensure sustainable practices are implemented—not just suggested. Sustainability cannot be a negotiable standard; it must be prioritized across all levels of the industry. For example, private air travel for convenience or to meet visibility requirements—like attending global events on tight schedules—needs to be replaced with more sustainable alternatives. Additionally, the overproduction of unnecessary merchandise tied to films or projects creates massive waste and significantly adds to the industry’s carbon footprint. These harmful practices must be reexamined and scaled back, even if it means challenging long-standing notions of what “success” in Hollywood looks like.
There’s also a crucial point to be made about wealth. While the average actor may not belong to the global top 1%, many of them earn far more than the average person will make in a lifetime. Even within the acting profession, there are vast wealth disparities, with a small percentage of actors earning astronomical sums while most struggle to make ends meet. However, for those who do have access to significant resources, it’s essential to recognize the larger responsibility that comes with a larger carbon footprint. Those with wealth and privilege must actively work to reduce their environmental impact.
At the same time, my heart breaks for those directly affected by the wildfires—for the people watching their homes and neighborhoods mercilessly be devoured by the fires. These are catastrophic, life-altering events, especially for those who lack the safety net to recover. Losing a home is devastating, and for many, it’s an irreversible loss. Empathy is critical, but so is perspective. Let these catastrophic events serve as a call to action—a wake-up call for all of us to collectively acknowledge that climate change is real and cannot be ignored any longer.
The science is clear. For over thirty years, scientists have been warning us about the consequences of climate inaction, yet their cries have fallen on deaf ears. Politicizing and gaslighting around this issue—driven by those who profit from denying climate change—must stop now. The top 1% of polluters, including major corporations and billionaires, are the ones carelessly and deliberately accelerating the destruction of our planet. That’s where the blame belongs. Mother Nature is screaming at us, begging us to stop destroying her. These fires, hurricanes, floods, and heat waves are not random—they are direct results of our inaction.
To actors and the entertainment industry, I’d say this: use your influence to challenge harmful industry norms and advocate for systemic change. If we are going to address this crisis, it has to be from the top down. This isn’t just about individual actions like flying private—it’s about dismantling the systems that prioritize profit over the planet. Accountability and innovation need to come from production companies, agencies, and studios. Actors have a powerful platform, and with that comes the responsibility to push for these changes—not just in their own practices but across the industry and beyond.
We cannot afford apathy, excuses, or delays any longer. Climate change is here, and it is devastating lives. It’s time to act now—individually and collectively—before the window to save our planet closes forever.