Whoopi Goldberg recently made headlines on “The View” by claiming that Hollywood is “a very right-leaning town,” countering the common perception that the industry is predominantly liberal. Her comments were prompted by actor Zachary Levi’s remarks at a Michigan rally, where he endorsed former President Donald Trump and expressed concern that his political stance might result in “career suicide” in Hollywood. Levi, best known for his roles in “Chuck” and the “Shazam” films, pointed to what he perceives as a liberal bias in the entertainment industry, saying, “Within my industry… Hollywood is a very liberal town.”

During Tuesday’s episode of “The View,” Goldberg disagreed with Levi’s assessment, dismissing it as “BS” and offering her perspective on Hollywood’s history. “That’s not necessarily true. From the beginning of Hollywood, there have been — it’s always been a very right-leaning town,” Goldberg said. She went on to name conservative actors such as Jon Voight and Dennis Quaid, who continue to work in the industry despite their political views. “People are working. Stop that! It’s more BS, and it’s unnecessary,” she argued.

Goldberg’s remarks challenge the narrative that right-leaning actors face significant barriers to success in Hollywood. She pointed to Voight’s current work in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” and Quaid’s role in the upcoming “Reagan” film as examples that political affiliation does not necessarily dictate career success. Voight, in particular, has been an outspoken supporter of Trump yet continues to land prominent roles.

However, not all conservative actors share Goldberg’s optimism. James Woods, an actor known for his conservative views, claimed that his political stance has negatively impacted his career. In 2018, Woods said his agent dropped him due to his pro-Trump social media posts. He has since transitioned into producing, executive producing the blockbuster film “Oppenheimer,” though he alleged that his involvement was intentionally kept quiet to avoid industry backlash during awards season. Other conservative actors, like Robert Davi and Matthew Marsden, have also reported losing roles due to their political beliefs, with Davi claiming in 2017 that he lost a part for supporting Trump.

The political divide in Hollywood has become more pronounced in recent years, with some conservative artists feeling marginalized. This has led to the creation of conservative networks like Friends of Abe in 2004, which aims to provide support and networking opportunities for right-leaning actors and filmmakers.

Goldberg’s comments sparked further debate about whether Hollywood is truly as liberal as its reputation suggests. While she named a few conservative actors who have continued to thrive, others have pointed to cases where political views may have impacted careers, especially in light of vaccine mandates and other political issues. For now, the question remains: is Hollywood as liberal as it seems, or is it, as Goldberg claims, more politically mixed?