Drea de Matteo, traditionally apolitical, shifted her stance after experiencing backlash for her anti-vaccine views during the COVID pandemic. After losing her agent and facing financial struggles, she created an OnlyFans account and began to align with Trump supporters in Hollywood. As she navigates her changing political landscape, de Matteo emphasizes her commitment to free speech through her fashion line, Ultrafree, while vocally criticizing prominent Hollywood figures and political narratives, claiming many in the industry secretly support Trump.
Drea de Matteo, traditionnellement apolitique, a changé de position après avoir subi des réactions négatives pour ses opinions anti-vaccin pendant la pandémie de COVID. Après avoir perdu son agent et affronté des difficultés financières, elle a créé un compte OnlyFans et a commencé à s’associer avec les partisans de Trump à Hollywood. Alors qu’elle navigue dans ce paysage politique changeant, de Matteo souligne son engagement en faveur de la liberté d’expression à travers sa ligne de mode, Ultrafree, tout en critiquant ouvertement des figures d’Hollywood et des récits politiques, affirmant que beaucoup dans l’industrie soutiennent secrètement Trump.
Drea de Matteo has not traditionally been known for her political engagement. Her most significant political expression came through a 2010 music video she directed for Shooter Jennings’ « Summer of Rage, » which offered a pointed critique of the Bush-Cheney administration’s ongoing military actions. In 2020, she participated in her first presidential election, casting her vote for Joe Biden to oust Donald Trump. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic escalated, the actress, renowned for her role as Adriana La Cerva on “The Sopranos,” faced dramatic personal challenges.
“I identify as a hippie. Initially, I was hesitant to get vaccinated. I wanted to see how things would unfold,” she recalls.
Her decision led to estrangement from family members who disapproved of her stance against vaccination. Within the Hollywood community, she became socially isolated, ultimately losing her agent, who she had considered a friend.
“My agent communicated the decision through my manager without any direct contact. I felt suddenly unable to find work,” she reflects. “It’s frustrating to be vilified for a medical decision while others loudly advocate for choice. Do they not hear their own contradictions?”
As her financial stability wavered, the single mother of two turned to OnlyFans, stating she did it “just to save my home” and began to reassess her political stance. “I felt isolated initially, but then I connected with new friends who shared my views,” she explains. This shift led de Matteo to align herself with a minority of outspoken Trump supporters in Hollywood, joining individuals like Dennis Quaid, Rob Schneider, and Zachary Levi. She is not alone as an Emmy-winning actress supporting the divisive 45th president, as Rosanne Barr has proudly aligned herself with MAGA ideals.
On a recent autumn afternoon, closely approaching an uncertain presidential election, the Queens native prepares for potential unrest, regardless of the outcome.
“I have people measuring my property for gates in anticipation of the apocalypse,” she shares while rocking in a swivel chair in her Laurel Canyon home. Clad in jeans and a black T-shirt decorated with a machine gun from her newly launched Ultrafree streetwear line, she readies herself to confront Hollywood’s anti-Trump sentiment.
“Is it just me, or is Sean Penn possibly a CIA asset?” she questions, referencing his controversial 2016 interview with El Chapo in Rolling Stone, which coincided with the drug lord’s capture. “I’ve lost respect for him. I couldn’t even support him as an actor anymore. When he handed that Oscar to [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy in Ukraine, I was horrified. Zelenskyy has ties to the Azov Battalion. Meanwhile, everyone is shouting about racism—they need to wake up.”
She continues her critique by targeting supporters of Kamala Harris in Hollywood, spanning various age groups.
“Take Billie Eilish, for example, claiming she feels safer with Kamala as president. But why is that? Because she has six security guards surrounding her? My daughter walks the streets of New York alone, and in California, my children have no freedom to go anywhere because of rampant crime,” she scoffs.
De Matteo then shifts her focus to one of the entertainment industry’s staunchest Democratic voices.
“I see Bette Midler endlessly discussing reproductive rights. But when we’re on the verge of global conflict, why this focus? What about our sons? They’ll be the ones sent off to war, and they’re targeting your daughters too,” she states.
Despite backing a president who appointed justices that overturned Roe v. Wade, de Matteo identifies as pro-choice.
“My great-grandmother was the only abortionist in 1950s Harlem, and I’ve had two abortions myself. I still support pro-choice,” she asserts. “Yet, the movement has strayed so far from true rights for women that it feels less about human rights and more like an agenda that ultimately serves no one.”
While her political views might seem perplexing, she underscores the inconsistencies in the perspectives of her Hollywood peers who once reviled Dick Cheney. Recently, Cheney endorsed Harris, which prompted her to comment on celebrity endorsements aligning with a former vice president.
“Every time a celebrity backs her, I remind people that they’re siding with Dick Cheney,” de Matteo states.
Acknowledging the risk of her outspoken beliefs regarding her career in film and television, she notes that male counterparts may face fewer repercussions. Notable figures like Mel Gibson and Jon Voight continue to thrive, while opportunities for MAGA women often dwindle. Regardless, de Matteo