At the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, Edward Norton offered one of the more striking candid moments when discussing the difficulty of maintaining "small talk" amid a deeply charged national moment.
Norton was attending the premiere of The Invite–directed by Olivia Wilde, who also stars alongside him—when The Hollywood Reporterasked about the atmosphere of Sundance in a year marked by political protest. In a conversation with Wilde and fellow co-star Seth Rogen at The Hollywood Reporter’s studio, Norton didn't shy away from mentioning the tense backdrop.
"These days it's: 'What are we gonna do about mass Gestapo shooting American citizens?'" he said, acknowledging how current events—and the fatal shootings involving ICE agents—have overshadowed lighter conversation about film and festival happenings. "We are sitting here talking about movies while an illegal army is being mounted against U.S. citizens," he added, underscoring his unease about the state of public safety and civil liberties in the U.S.
Norton's remark reflects a broader pattern seen on the Park City red carpet this year. Many actors and filmmakers chose to share pointed commentary on national issues, especially the controversy around U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following recent shootings in Minnesota that have ignited widespread protests. During the Sundance Film Festival, ICE shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti.
Others, like Wilde and Natalie Portman, combined symbolic gestures, such as wearing "ICE OUT" pins, with direct language about violence and the urgency for change.
Wilde condemned the recent ICE killings, calling the current state of the country "appalling" to Variety on the red carpet. She added that she didn't want to "normalize" seeing "people being murdered" on the internet, which is largely why she felt compelled to vocalize her stance on "delegitimizing" ICE.
Related: 'Appalled and Sickened' Olivia Wilde Wears 'ICE OUT' Pin at Sundance as 'People Are Being Murdered'
Rather than separate art from politics, these actors' words suggest that many in Hollywood see their roles as artists and public figures as inherently tied to the political moment—even when discussing something as ostensibly non-political as a film premiere. And that's precisely why those with platforms and audiences are speaking up seemingly now more than ever.
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