Glenn Close calls Donald Trump a 'bully' as she slams his administration's attacks on DEI

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA: Glenn Close isn’t staying quiet when it comes to President Donald Trump’s moves to curb diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) - especially as it spills into Hollywood and the corporate world.

The 78-year-old actress, known for her long-standing presence in the film industry and her advocacy for gender representation, criticized the MAGA leader for his rollback of DEI initiatives in the federal government - something she says is now affecting corporate America and the entertainment industry, the Irish Star reported.

Glenn Close slams Donald Trump over DEI rollbacks

Speaking at the 11th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Santa Monica, California, on Saturday, April 5, Glenn Close called Donald Trump a "bully" and encouraged others not to stay silent.

"I'm appalled by it," Close said when asked about the government-led "push back of DEI policies adopted by some Hollywood studios." 

The 'Fatal Attraction' star continued, "DEI—people can just have it come out of their mouth—is what this country was founded on. It is who we are. We cannot say no to diversity, equality, and inclusion. The fact that we came here and there were already people here, but that's a whole other story."

Close insisted, "We are a very flawed nation. We are a flawed species. Let's not go on about that. I think in the world, if we're going to survive, we have to accept DEI." 

She then took a thinly veiled jab at Trump: "Nobody can be king of this world. We have gone beyond that. To survive, we need each other."

Glenn Close wants people to 'not get afraid'

Glenn Close also emphasized that people shouldn’t be intimidated out of standing up for what they believe is right.

"I think that the most important thing is not to get afraid. Not to let fear overtake what you think is right, what you think is morally right. I think bullies are really good at scaring people. And that’s from childhood playgrounds," the '101 Dalmatians' actress said.

She then cited well-known historical figures to make her point. "So I think it was Roosevelt who said, 'The only thing to fear is fear itself.' I think Churchill said, 'The only way through hell is through it,'" Close stated. 

"And we have the capacity for courage and for moral clarity. And I just hope enough of us can stick together," she added.

Studios scale back diversity pledges

Glenn Close's comments come as several major studios scale back their DEI initiatives.

Disney has dropped references to its "Reimagine Tomorrow" campaign, which began in 2021 to elevate underrepresented voices and promote internal development programs. Amazon Studios has also rolled back its internal diversity goals, including a previous aim to cast at least one person of color in speaking roles on each project.

Paramount eliminated staffing goals based on race, gender, and ethnicity, and Warner Bros Discovery has changed its hiring policies, pulling back from prior DEI commitments.

Close’s remarks were made at a high-profile event that drew a long list of A-listers. The Breakthrough Prize ceremony—held to honor achievements in Life Sciences, Fundamental Physics, and Mathematics—featured performances by Katy Perry and was hosted by James Corden.

Among the celebrities who attended were Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Chastain, Lily Collins, Danny DeVito, Jodie Foster, Paris Hilton, Gayle King, Lizzo, Rob Lowe, Edward Norton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Seth Rogen, Gal Gadot, Zoe Saldana, Jeff Bezos and fiancee Lauren Sanchez, Jeremy Strong, and will.i.am.

The Breakthrough Prize awards more than $15 million annually, with individual prizes of $3 million each, according to the Irish Star.

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