When President Trump tapped Mel Gibson, John Voight, and Sylvester Stallone as Hollywood ambassadors, many were surprised. Mel Gibson himself admitted he learned of the appointment “probably on Twitter,” acknowledging, “I was surprised, but I’m ready, willing, and able to be of service.” Gibson’s candid reaction underscored both the spontaneity of Trump’s decision and the ambassadors’ eagerness to bridge the gap between Tinseltown and his administration.

Gibson explained that Hollywood lost significant business over the past four years to foreign locations. He cited a personal experience: flying an entire crew to Europe to shoot for three days proved cheaper than filming in Los Angeles for a single day. “There’s something wrong there,” he observed. He suggested improving tax incentives and lifting prohibitive regulations, noting that current policies drive production costs so high that even short shoots become financially unviable in California.

Indeed, industry reports confirm Gibson’s concerns. From July to September last year, Los Angeles saw historically low shoot days—fewer even than during the writers’ strike. Moreover, LA’s share of the film and television economy fell from 35% in 2022 to 27% in 2023. Rate hikes by FilmLA—some as high as 177%—and tighter location permits (now limited to five locations over seven days) further discourage production.

Gibson hinted at broader reforms: “We need to be competitive with the rest of the world.” He praised Arnold Schwarzenegger’s past efforts to “level the playing field,” although Arnold “couldn’t get it done because of obstacles.” Moving forward, Gibson plans to collaborate with state and local officials, promising to “educate myself” on specific solutions.

Commentator Kane celebrated the appointments as a chance to “Make Hollywood Great Again,” arguing that conservatives have lacked representation in the cultural mainstream. Yet critics warn against swapping one ideological agenda for another. Ultimately, Gibson’s role could succeed if it focuses on reducing costs, streamlining regulations, and restoring Hollywood’s creative freedom—rather than merely replacing one set of talking points with another.