Newsmax's 50 Most Influential Hollywood Conservatives - Newsmax
Once upon a time in Hollywood, being a member of the GOP or holding conservative values could spell disaster for an actor’s career.
But when Donald Trump, a billionaire businessman with a background in entertainment, announced his intentions to run for the highest office in the land, celebs like Jon Voight, Dennis Rodman, and Scott Baio proudly supported the former host of "The Apprentice."
And even before the Trump name was associated with politics, stars — albeit a minority when compared to their liberal counterparts — have been supporting conservative candidates for decades.
Here, Newsmax has compiled a list of the 50 most influential celebrities in Hollywood.
1. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — It is perhaps a question of when and not if Johnson runs for president. He has publicly flirted with the idea and has said he has hopes for a political career when his acting days are done. Anticipation for the charismatic leading man's potential run is already high, with willing donors and supporters asking Johnson to run in 2024.
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2. Caitlyn Jenner — The Olympic champion formerly known as Bruce Jenner, Caitlyn has declared herself a staunch Republican and was one of the biggest names to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration. Although she has received criticism for being both an advocate for trans people and devoted to a party that has a history of anti-LGBTQ policies, Jenner defended her stance by tweeting: "Republicans need help understanding LGBTQ issues and I'm here to help!”
3. Clint Eastwood — The actor and director famously trashed President Barack Obama in 2012 at the Republican National Convention and stirred up a firestorm of liberal griping with his patriotic film, "American Sniper."
4. Arnold Schwarzenegger — "The Terminator" and "Predator" star and worldwide bodybuilding champ served two terms as the Republican governor of California before returning to the small screen, where he, ironically, took over Trump’s role as host of “The Apprentice.”
5. James Woods — The award-winning actor best known for "Once Upon a Time in America," "Casino," and "White House Down" is well-known for his conservative views — he was a strong Obama opponent — and maintains an active politics-focused Twitter feed.
6. Scott Baio — A registered Republican (although he has said he considers himself a “conservative independent”), the former "Happy Days" and "Charles in Charge" star once campaigned for Ronald Reagan and has spoken out on social media about his political beliefs. He endorsed Donald Trump for president in 2016.
7. Gary Sinise — The "Forrest Gump" star is one of the founding members of Friends of Abe, a Hollywood conservative group. A prominent supporter of the military, Sinise has also traveled to entertain U.S. troops around the world, and he founded the Gary Sinese Foundation to help America’s military families.
8. Bruce Willis — The Hollywood tough guy and action star of "Die Hard" has been very vocal over the years in support of gun ownership and smaller government.
9. Pat Boone — The onetime "teen idol" and longtime singing star is a conservative, Republican Christian who received a lifetime achievement award from the Conservative Political Action Conference. Boone has recorded a number of robocalls endorsing conservative candidates, including Donald Trump.
10. Alice Cooper—The shock rocker, whose birth name was Vincent Damon Furnier, is also in the GOP clan. He’s a hardcore born-again Christian conservative with strong creationist beliefs.
11. Pat Sajak — The "Wheel of Fortune" host is an outspoken conservative who has challenged global warming theorists, written for the conservative magazine Human Events, and donated to Republican candidates.
12. Willie Robertson — The "Duck Dynasty" star is known for his strong Christian faith and conservative politics. He endorsed Donald Trump for president and has also appeared on Fox News as a contributor.
13. Ben Stein — The former speechwriter for Presidents Nixon and Ford, TV game show host, actor, and prolific writer is a confirmed conservative and registered Republican, an opponent of legalized abortion, and a one-time endorser of John McCain.
14. Drew Carey — The host of "The Price Is Right" considers himself a libertarian and is a board member of the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank.
15. Ted Nugent — The celebrated guitarist and vocalist, responsible for such hits as “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold,” is a hero to rock fans and conservatives. He's vocal on conservative causes such as gun rights and hunters' rights, and threw his support behind Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
16. Meat Loaf — The "Bat Out of Hell" rock-opera singer, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" actor, and TV host has blasted the removal of prayer from public schools. Although he says his politics are neither left nor right, he has endorsed Republican presidential candidates in the past.
17. Dennis Rodman — One of the few people in the world to personally know both President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the former NBA star supported Trump’s candidacy since the beginning, tweeting: “@realDonaldTrump has been a great friend for many years. We don't need another politician, we need a businessman like Mr. Trump! Trump 2016.” He's visited North Korea five times since 2013 and, during one visit, he gifted Trump’s 1987 book “The Art of the Deal” to Kim.
18. Sylvester Stallone — The star of the "Rocky" and "Rambo" series of hit movies is not shy about voicing his beliefs. He also backed Sen. John McCain's presidential bid in 2008.
19. Antonio Sabato Jr. — Another conservative celebrity considering politics, the former soap opera star, who spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention, filed the paperwork with the Federal Election Commission in May to run for Congress in California as a Republican.
20. Kirk Cameron — The actor who starred on ABC's "Growing Pains" is an evangelical Christian with strong conservative beliefs. In 2014, he starred in "Saving Christmas," a comedic Christian film that sought to "put Christ back in Christmas."
21. Vince Vaughn — The star of "Wedding Crashers" and "Dodgeball" supported libertarian Ron Paul's presidential candidacies in 2008, 2012, and 2016. Vaughn is easily Hollywood's most outspoken libertarian, who speaks at party conferences and to any media outlet who will listen about the virtues of libertarianism.
22. Adam Sandler — The "Saturday Night Live" comic and movie star is a registered Republican and once donated $2,100 to Rudy Giuliani's campaign for president. He also performed at the 2004 Republican Convention.
23. Susan Lucci — An Emmy winner and daytime soap opera icon from "All My Children," Lucci is a well-known conservative Republican, and she has reportedly hosted fundraisers for Rudy Giuliani's presidential run as well as local GOP candidates like Bruce Blakeman.
24. Dennis Miller — The stand-up comic and former "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update" star and onetime Democrat is a well-known conservative political pundit today. He appeared regularly on Fox News Channel for a time to train his trademark acerbic wit on topics of the day.
25. Tom Selleck — The "Magnum P.I." star endorsed Sen. John McCain for president in 2008 and is a board member with the National Rifle Association.
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26. Jon Voight — The "Midnight Cowboy," "Deliverance," and "Coming Home" star and father of actress Angelina Jolie once made headlines for calling President Obama a “false prophet” at a Republican fundraiser. He was also a Trump supporter in 2016.
27. Tim Allen — The "Home Improvement" actor once told Sean Hannity he is a “fiscal conservative” who “like[s] problem solving.” Allen has also been critical of the political climate that conservatives face in Hollywood and blamed it for the cancellation of his most recent show after six seasons. “There is nothing more dangerous, especially in this climate, than a funny, likable conservative character,” Allen said of his "Last Man Standing" character — a man not all that dissimilar from the actor himself.
28. Phil Robertson — The "Duck Dynasty" reality television star, duck hunter, committed Christian, and businessman has addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference and received the Andrew Breitbart Defender of the First Amendment Award.
29. Jessica Simpson — The actress, singer, reality television personality, and clothing designer is a registered Republican who endorsed George Bush for president in 2004 and has made numerous trips overseas to entertain American troops.
30. Kevin and Sam Sorbo — The "Hercules" and "God's Not Dead" star, with strong conservative, Christian beliefs, has called out Hollywood's liberal hypocrisy. He made his directorial debut this year with the film "Let There Be Light," which went on to become the fourth highest-grossing Christian film of 2017. Wife Sam, who herself is an actress, author, and former syndicated radio host, co-wrote and starred in the film along with her husband.
31. Kid Rock — The rocker endorsed Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in 2012 and has expressed approval of President Donald Trump. He made headlines this year after announcing he was interested in running for Senate in Michigan as a Republican — though he later acknowledged it was just a prank.
32. Robert Duvall — The star of "The Godfather" and "The Judge" backed Mitt Romney in 2012 and narrated a video for the Republican National Convention in 2008. He raised $800,000 for Romney and appeared on stage with Sarah Palin and John McCain.
33. Rob Lowe — A onetime supporter of the Democratic Party, the former "West Wing" actor's Twitter feed appears to lean more to the right as of late, calling out President Barack Obama over Benghazi, voicing support for our heroes, and accusing CNN anchors of "holding water for Obama." He also supported Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign in 2003.
34. James Caan — The "Godfather" star and Hollywood tough guy has termed himself an "ultra-conservative." In the past, Caan has said he's a fan of Fox News and only watched Bill O'Reilly.
35. Kelsey Grammer — The "Cheers" and "Frasier" star backed Rudy Giuliani for mayor of New York and founded the RightNetwork, a conservative entertainment company.
36. Kurt Russell — A self-described "hardcore libertarian," Russell has spoken out about his political beliefs in the past, ripping the left's stance that gun control could limit terrorism. "If you think gun control is going to change the terrorists’ point of view, I think you’re, like, out of your mind," he told a reporter while promoting "The Hateful Eight" in 2015.
37. Shannen Doherty — A mainstay of "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Charmed," Doherty has termed herself a "conservative" and an "avid" supporter of Ronald Reagan. Even as a young actress, she publicly appeared as a conservative in 1992, inviting the crowd at the RNC to join her in the recitation of the "Pledge of Allegiance."
38. Joy Villa —The actress and singer has a reputation for shocking fashion statements on the red carpet, perhaps none more than the pro-Trump "Make America Great Again" gown Villa wore to the 2016 Grammy Awards. In October 2017, she announced on "Fox and Friends" that she was considering a run for Congress as a GOP candidate who professes to be "pro-life, pro-Constitution, pro-2A, pro-taxreform, pro-Trump, pro-religious freedom, anti-human trafficking, [and] anti-illegal immigration."
39. Robert Downey Jr. — The star of the "Iron Man" and "Sherlock Holmes" movies, who spent time in prison over drug charges, is a committed conservative who once said, "You can’t go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal."
40. Melissa Joan Hart — Ironically, the actress formerly known as "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," is actually an outspoken Christian conservative and strives to stir conversation about politics and religion in Hollywood. Her appearance in the lead role of the 2016 theatrical release of "God's Not Dead 2" is perhaps most indicative of that passion.
41. Rob Schneider — The titular star of the Netflix sitcom "Real Rob" and frequent Adam Sandler collaborator was a "lifelong Democrat" until 2013 when he grew tired of the Democratic stranglehold on California, which he said created overregulation that was driving filmmaking and other businesses out of the state.
42. Patricia Heaton — A Christian pro-lifer, Heaton, who starred in "Everybody Loves Raymond," publicly took Rush Limbaugh's side in blasting Sandra Fluke over free birth control. She campaigned for the McCain-Palin ticket in 2008 and the Romney-Ryan ticket in 2012.
43. Chuck Norris — The tough guy star of "Walker, Texas Ranger" and martial arts movie fame is a committed Christian who regularly writes conservative columns for World Net Daily.
44. LL Cool J — The rapper and actor, whose real name is James Todd Smith, is a very vocal conservative and has performed at the Republican National Convention. In August 2017, he became a Kennedy Center Honors recipient, recognizing his 30-year career and cultural impact. LL is the first hip-hop artist to be bestowed with the Kennedy Center Honor. He's also one of the youngest honorees, tying Stevie Wonder at age 49.
45. Hillary Duff — The “Younger” star is a registered Republican who performed at George W Bush’s 2005 inauguration.
46. Ricky Schroder — A self-described "patriot to the core," “Silver Spoons” child star Schroder spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention in support of George W. Bush.
47. Loretta Lynn — Legendary country singer and "Coal Miner's Daughter" Loretta Lynn is a longtime Republican who supported Trump’s presidential bid.
48. Heather Locklear — Though she doesn't discuss her personal politics publicly, Locklear is reportedly a registered Republican.
49. Dean Cain — The media attention given to the conservative actor's outspokenness on political and cultural issues has — at times— overshadowed his lengthy list of film and television credits, perhaps most notably Cain's portrayal of Superman on ABC's "Lois and Clark."
50. Jim Caviezel — The "Person of Interest" and "The Passion of the Christ" star is a devoted Catholic and family man with three adopted children who has been very open about living out his faith in Hollywood.
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