Fact Check: Are viral videos of celebrities attacking Democrats ahead of US midterms real?
WASHINGTON, DC: Viral videos showing celebrities making harsh statements about Democrats have sparked a wave of discussion on social media ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections.
The clips have circulated widely across platforms, drawing attention amid growing political activity and online debate.
The posts come as concerns over manipulated videos, AI-generated content, and election-related misinformation continue to feature in recent reports about the upcoming US midterms.
Claim: Hollywood actors criticized Democratic Party in recorded videos
The videos began spreading across social media on September 10, 2026, using hashtags such as "#AllDemocratsAreCriminals."
The clips showed Hollywood actors criticizing the Democratic Party in self-recorded videos carrying CNN's logo.
In one video, star Alyson Hannigan appears to say, "Today in America, there isn't a single child who isn't under threat from Democrats."
One more X user included, "Alison Hannigan, Eric Roberts, Jerry Ryan"
Another video shows Emma Caulfield saying Democrats "drink our blood." A third video portrays Sarah Jessica Parker calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Democrats "Nazis."
In one X post reported, "Celebrities are urging people to join the #AllDemocratsAreCriminals movement. The movement is gaining immense popularity, so much so that event celebrities have started talking about it."
Fact Check: False; the videos are fabricated
The creators used footage taken from other sources on the internet to make the clips.
One fake video featuring Julia Roberts added fabricated audio to footage from a 2023 Gucci campaign. Other videos used recordings that celebrities had uploaded to Cameo, a platform where celebrities sell personalized videos to fans.
Actress Jeri Ryan told AFP that she felt "disgust and anger" after seeing a doctored video that appeared to show her saying the country was "taken over by perverted Democrats." "This obvious propaganda is the polar opposite of my political and social viewpoints," she said, adding that she is a Democratic voter. "Stealing my image and identity this way feels incredibly violating."
Jeri Ryan also criticized a doctored video involving her. "This obvious propaganda is the polar opposite of my political and social viewpoints," she said, adding that she is a Democratic voter. She also said, "Stealing my image and identity this way feels incredibly violating."
Other clips used recordings celebrities uploaded to Cameo, a service that allows celebrities to sell personalized videos to fans. Caulfield, known for her role in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' told AFP about the video using her image, "I feel violated."
She added, "This isn't me, and worse, this cheap imitation is a soulless idiot."
Star Eric Roberts also saw his Cameo footage altered to make him appear to attack Democrats over transgender issues. He told AFP that the statements "are not my words and do not represent my beliefs."
