Danny Trejo, who sparked backlash after it was revealed he’d be starring in the pro-ICE movie “Pawn Shop” from Ben Shapiro’s production company, Daily Wire, had “never heard” of the conservative political commentator and is contractually unable to say anything negative about Shapiro — or the project — his son, Gilbert Trejo, said.
Gilbert shared a post to his Instagram story responding to the outcry from fans of the actor over the weekend, addressing claims that Danny is pro-ICE or supports Shapiro’s politics. He began by saying that only two weeks into shooting the project did any of the cast learn that Shapiro was involved, and that this father “has never heard of Ben Shapiro.” “I had to explain to him who that is, and what kind of guy he is,” wrote Gilbert.
He went on to write that Danny is unable to “badmouth” Shapiro or the film contractually. He also can’t “walk away without being sued for breach of contract. He couldn’t even release the statement he wanted to.” (Danny had previously told TMZ that he is a “proud Mexican who has always been and will always be a supporter of my community. I am also obviously pro-immigrant. I am not pro-ICE.. I know where I come from and I know our struggles. I am an actor. My job is to tell a story.”)
“It’s fucked up,” he continued. “He’s handcuffed to this stupid project, and swaths of people have instantly turned their back on him without knowing any of the facts.”
He said his father’s agent described the film as a “complicated story about a complicated time, where everyone looks bad except you, the hardworking Mexican shop owner who just wants peace,” to which Danny “jumped” at the idea of playing “a good guy.”
The logline for the film reads: “When a Minneapolis riot forces a young ICE officer to complete a high-stakes arrest alone after his partner is killed, he is hunted through the streets by a furious mob intent on freeing the prisoner and punishing anyone who still upholds the law. Barricaded inside a neighborhood pawn shop with a hard-edged Hispanic veteran and the man’s progressive college-age grandson, ordinary men must choose between the rule of law and the chaos that wants to burn it all down in a modern siege of honor and defiance.”
Read Gilbert’s full statement here.
For anyone seeing this shit with my dad…
He was booked on a film, it’s not pro-ice, its not overtly pro anything. His agent described it as ‘a complicated story about a complicated time, where everyone looks bad except you, the hardworking Mexican shop owner who just wants peace.”
He jumped at the idea of playing a good guy.
About 2 weeks into shooting everyone, including us, found out Ben Shapiro was involved.
My 82 year old dad has never heard of Ben Shapiro, I had to explain to him who that is, and what kind of guy he is.
My dad contractually can’t badmouth him, the film, or walk away without being sued for breach of contract. He couldn’t even release the statement he wanted to.
It’s fucked up. He’s handcuffed to this stupid project, and swaths of people have instantly turned their back on him without knowing any of the facts.
Ben Shapiro got Mexicans to abandon one of their heroes, got his own name to the top of google searches, and made us look like angry fools lacking any nuance. He wins.