Hollywood “Meltdown”: Stars Like Kristen Stewart and Natalie Portman Face Savage Backlash for “Anti-American” Rants and “Vacuous” Virtue Signaling at Sundance

In the glittering, high-altitude bubble of the Sundance Film Festival, the air is thin, the fashion is expensive, and the political rhetoric is, according to a scathing new critique, increasingly detached from reality. A recent segment of “Lefties Losing It” on Sky News Australia has unleashed a torrent of mockery against some of Hollywood’s biggest names, accusing them of “losing it” in a spectacle of hypocrisy and performative outrage. From Kristen Stewart’s controversial comments about American moviegoers to the reported flop of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s latest venture, the entertainment elite are facing a brutal reality check.

The segment, hosted by Rita Panahi with commentary from royal and celebrity expert Kinsey Schofield, pulls no punches. It paints a picture of a celebrity class that is “desperately out of touch,” preaching morality from behind the gates of their mansions while ignoring the complexities of the issues they claim to champion.

Kristen Stewart’s “Anti-American Rant”

One of the primary targets of the broadcast was actress Kristen Stewart, known for her role in Twilight and her indie film career. Stewart recently made headlines for comments that were described on the show as an “insane anti-Trump rant.” The actress reportedly expressed a desire to make films in Europe and then “shove them down the throats” of American audiences, a statement that Panahi characterized as fueled by the belief that “reality is breaking under Trump.”

The reaction from the Sky News hosts was visceral. Panahi dismissed Stewart as “about the worst actress I think that’s come out of Hollywood in the last two decades,” setting the tone for a segment that was as much a roast of talent as it was of politics.

Kinsey Schofield joined the fray, questioning the sincerity and depth of Stewart’s new political persona. “Kristen Stewart preaching morality is a tough sell for audiences who remember her very public controversies,” Schofield argued, referencing Stewart’s past infidelity scandal with a married director. The critique suggests that audiences have a long memory and a low tolerance for lectures from figures whose own personal lives have been fodder for tabloids.

“People are done being lectured by Hollywood,” Schofield declared. She linked the industry’s current struggles—high unemployment and a lack of work—to this very disconnect. The argument is that by alienating half the country with condescending political posturing, Hollywood is biting the hand that feeds it. “They’re tired of being told about how awful the world is by these people in Chanel that are living their best lives,” she added.

The “Beautiful but Bonkers” Natalie Portman

Another A-lister in the crosshairs was Natalie Portman. The Oscar-winning actress was featured in a clip from Sundance where she condemned the actions of the federal government and ICE, describing the situation in the country as “absolutely horrific.” Portman contrasted the government’s actions with what she saw as the “best of humanity”—Americans showing up to support and protect each other in protests.

Panahi’s rebuttal was blunt: “So pretty, but so stupid.”

The host challenged Portman’s framing of the events, specifically regarding protests in Minnesota. While Portman saw “community support,” Panahi described “lunatic left” agitators “obstructing law enforcement and protecting criminals from deportation.” The segment highlighted the chasm between how celebrities perceive political unrest—often through a romanticized lens of resistance—and how conservative commentators view it: as lawlessness.

“There is something surreal about condemning ICE while standing at an elite Sundance event surrounded by wealth and status,” Schofield noted. She labeled the behavior as “virtue signaling,” arguing that it lacks the substance of meaningful advocacy. “I would take Olivia Wilde much more seriously if she said, ‘And that’s why I’ve donated this amount of money to the victim’s family.’ But you never hear that.”

Olivia Wilde and the “Ice Out” Badge

Olivia Wilde also faced scrutiny for her emotional plea at the festival. Wearing an “Ice Out” badge, Wilde spoke about being “sickened” and “appalled” by the violence and murder she sees online, stating she didn’t want to “normalize” it.

However, the hosts found her commentary “vacuous.” Panahi criticized the stars for regurgitating “hard left talking points” without acknowledging positive statistics, such as the reported 20% drop in the US murder rate the previous year. “They don’t care about that,” Panahi said. “All they care about is this sort of division… and pretending they’re somehow enlightened.”

The critique underscores a broader frustration with celebrity activism: that it often feels performative, a way to signal moral superiority without engaging with contradictory facts or the nuances of policy.

The Sussex “Flop”: Empty Seats for Harry and Meghan

The segment didn’t limit itself to American actors; it also took aim at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were at Sundance to promote their new documentary, Cookie Queens, which follows Girl Scouts navigating the cookie business.

Despite the royal firepower behind the project, reports suggest the premiere was less than a coronation. “The doco is already turning out to be a bit of a flop,” Panahi stated, noting that it failed to sell out the theater.

Schofield provided damning details: “As the lights went low… roughly 150 unoccupied seats scattered throughout the theater.” She contrasted this with the previous night, where the same theater was so packed that ticket holders were turned away. The implication is clear: even at a festival known for its liberal, star-struck audience, the Sussex brand may be losing its luster.

“It’s not a good look,” Schofield admitted, though she tried to find a silver lining in the subject matter itself. “We do love Girl Scouts… God love Girl Scouts and I love cookies.”

The Beckham Family Drama

Shifting gears from politics to personal drama, the show delved into the reported rift within the Beckham family. Biographer Tom Bower has claimed that Brooklyn Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria, is considering a “tell-all” biography that portrays his parents as “greedy and self-obsessed.”

Schofield, however, had little sympathy for the young heir. “I have a hard time extending real sympathy to someone who has been handed every possible advantage,” she said. She described Brooklyn as an “extremely privileged adult who resents the very lives their parents built for them.”

The discussion touched on the “theater” of the Beckham brand—the idea that their perfect public image is a carefully choreographed performance. While acknowledging the artifice, Schofield admitted a grudging respect for their ambition and resilience. “I admire the never complain, never explain,” she said. “They continue to show up.”

Dylan Mulvaney and “Six the Musical”

Finally, the segment addressed the controversy surrounding the casting of transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney as Anne Boleyn in the Broadway production of Six the Musical. The casting has drawn backlash, leading the production to restrict their social media comments.

Schofield’s take was provocative. While acknowledging that some feedback is simply bullying, she validated the question of whether Mulvaney earned the role through talent or “infamy.” She ended with a risqué historical quip about King Henry VIII that left the host laughing, encapsulating the show’s irreverent and combative style.

Conclusion: A Cultural divide

The “Lefties Losing It” segment serves as a microcosm of the current cultural war. It highlights the deepening divide between the entertainment industry’s progressive values and the conservative backlash that views Hollywood as out of touch, hypocritical, and increasingly irrelevant.

For the hosts of Sky News Australia, the stars of Sundance are not heroes of the resistance; they are “vacuous” elites playing dress-up in the middle of a serious political struggle. Whether it’s Kristen Stewart’s “rants,” Natalie Portman’s “bonkers” take on protests, or Harry and Meghan’s empty theater, the message from the critics is clear: The audience is no longer buying what Hollywood is selling.

As the lines between entertainment and politics continue to blur, encounters like these are likely to become more frequent and more ferocious. For now, the “meltdown” shows no signs of cooling off.