Following the launch of the new “Star Trek: Discovery” TV series, one of its headlining actors has taken the effort to voice his support for #TakeTheKnee that saw numerous NFL teams refuse to stand up during the national anthem on Sunday. He also mocked conservatives for their supposed ignorance.
Jason Isaacs, who plays Captain Gabriel Lorca on the show, took a position in the #TakeTheKnee debate on Sunday and invoked the spirit of the late Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry.
Writing on Twitter, Isaacs, who’s best known for playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, wrote that he would “take the knee” on the bridge of the new Starship if he could.
The tweet was met with responses ranging from support to complete disagreement, with some accusing him of insulting the show’s fanbase.
He responded to defend his show, and noted that an “unboring politically incorrect” version of Star Trek would look much like the White House.
When confronted with an accusation that he was “just another Hollywood liberal,” Isaacs provided his own definition of the term to mock conservatives as ignorant and put the person replying to him on blast.
Isaacs, who is known for his vocal opposition to Donald Trump, previously described Sean Spicer as a “modern day Goebbels” in an Instagram post while at the Emmy Awards. Isaacs said Spicer had the “aura of a giant festering abscess,” and mocked the former White House press secretary for his height. He later told TV Guide that he was only saying what a “million other people” were thinking.
As for “Star Trek: Discovery,” initial reception from progressive critics has been largely positive due to the show’s “diverse” demographic makeup. However, most critics say that the show appears to be largely divorced from the optimism of Gene Roddenberry’s initial creation by going with a darker setting. It remains to be seen whether the divisive and alienating statements of one of its leading actors will help, or hurt the show’s ratings this fall.
Ian Miles Cheong is a journalist and outspoken media critic. You can reach him through social media at @stillgray on Twitter and on Facebook.