More than 400 Hollywood stars have signed a letter in support of Jimmy Kimmel after his late-night talk show was indefinitely suspended by ABC.
The American Civil Liberties Union published the open letter Monday, warning that government threats to networks and artists undermine free speech.
Among the signatories are Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, and Disney stars Selena Gomez and Pedro Pascal.
“Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air after the government threatened a private company with retaliation, marking a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation,” the letter reads.
It adds that silencing critics “strikes at the heart of what it means to live in a free country.”
Kimmel’s show was pulled September 17, days after the comedian criticized political reactions to the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Nexstar and Sinclair, which operate major ABC affiliates, said his remarks were “insensitive” and moved to preempt the program.
The White House has not commented, but President Donald Trump said during a state visit to the United Kingdom that Kimmel was “fired for lack of talent.”
The comedian has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003.
