She-Hulk Star Tatiana Maslany Urges Fans To Cancel Disney+ After Jimmy Kimmel Suspension

How's this for some real-life heroism? Many of us are still reeling from the unprecedented news that ABC has indefinitely pulled the late night comedy show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", essentially bowing to regulatory pressure by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and becoming an accomplice to state-mandated censorship. It's as blatant a violation of First Amendment rights protecting freedom of speech as it gets, sending shockwaves through both the political scene and the entertainment landscape alike. But not everyone is simply sitting back and allowing this to go by unchallenged. A number of public figures and activists have used their platforms to speak out against this, and one in particular has done so in the strongest of terms — despite a very real risk to her career.

Actor Tatiana Maslany, best known for role as the various clones in "Orphan Black" and as Jennifer Walters in Marvel's "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law," has taken to social media to denounce Disney (the parent company of ABC) for its decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel off the air. In fact, she went even further and turned to her fans to make an even greater, more tangible impact. In her Instagram story on her personal account, Maslany posted a behind-the-scenes image from the filming of "She-Hulk" with a caption urging her half-a-million followers to take action and boycott Disney's three major streaming services:

"Cancel your [Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN] subscriptions!"

Tatiana Maslany/Instagram

In an amusing touch, Maslany included a snippet of "Who's That Girl?" by Eve, one of the needle-drops from the premiere episode of "She-Hulk." Obviously, it's not every day that you see an acclaimed, Emmy-winning actor speak out against a company they've worked for previously ... but these aren't exactly normal times. Extreme actions demand extreme responses, regardless of future ramifications. While "She-Hulk" likely wasn't going to receive a second season anyway, online rumors have swirled that the character could potentially return in "Avengers: Doomsday." That potential awkwardness only makes this instance of possibly burning a significant bridge all the more laudable.

It'd be one thing if Tatiana Maslany was the only notable name calling Disney on the carpet for their controversial decision to suspend "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" indefinitely, but a tidal wave of actors, filmmakers, and other public figures have joined the chorus in recent days. Writer and "Lost" creator Damon Lindelof also took to Instagram to express his misgivings against Disney, stating that, "I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday's suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon. If it isn't, I can't in good conscience work for the company that imposed it." "Transparent" star Amy Landecker echoed those sentiments in her own social media post, going so far as to post a screenshot of her own Disney+ cancellation in an implicit encouragement for her followers to do the same. The ever-outspoken director and writer Boots Riley, known for "Sorry to Bother You" and the Prime Video series "I'm A Virgo," posted the following on X (formerly known as Twitter) in support of a boycott by the powerful Directors Guild of America (DGA):

"If DGA has its members not show up for any ABC/Disney/Hulu/Marvel show until they reverse the Kimmel decision, they'll reverse the decision within hours AT MOST. DGA has only gone on strike once. It was so powerful it only took 19 hours til demands were met."

Disney has yet to comment on any of this swift and vocal backlash from various corners of the industry. For those looking for even more direct methods to join in, the popular box office account Exhibitor Relations Co. posted a comprehensive "playbook" on X to voice their displeasure and make themselves heard.