At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 12, Mark Ruffalo made headlines on the red carpet, wearing a black-and-white “BE GOOD” pin in tribute to Renee Nicole Goode, who was killed by ICE. His comments on President Donald Trump sparked both admiration and criticism, igniting debate across social media.
Ruffalo told USA TODAY:
“This is for Renee Nicole Goode, who was murdered… The only thing that matters to him is his own morality, but the guy is a convicted felon; a convicted rapist. He’s a pedophile. He’s the worst human being.” He added, “This is for the people in the United States who are terrorized and scared today. I know I’m one of them. I love this country. And what I’m seeing here happening is not America.”
Fellow attendee Wanda Sykes also took a firm stance. “We need to speak up and shut this rogue government down,” she told Variety. “It’s awful what they are doing to people.”
Social Media Reacts: Praise and Backlash
Fans flooded Platforms with support for Ruffalo’s boldness. u/AnastasiaInTheNorth wrote, “Mark Ruffalo is officially in his ‘I have enough Marvel residuals to say exactly what I want’ era and I am obsessed,” while u/MrDeadbutdreaming called him an “Absolute legend” for decades of advocacy. Many lauded his courage to speak on human rights and social justice.
However, criticism was swift. @AndrewMinter16 tweeted,
“He doesn’t give a single [expletive] he just wants attention.”
@HawkeyeRoad called him “a clown show” for supporting controversial figures. Other detractors echoed concerns that Hollywood celebrities were politicizing award shows or oversimplifying complex issues.
Despite the mixed reactions, Ruffalo’s red-carpet message underscores his commitment to using fame for activism. Whether lauded or criticized, the actor’s words resonated beyond the Golden Globes, showing the ways fame and politics collide in today’s public discourse.
