Michael Shannon is no stranger to playing interesting characters, but there’s one role in particular he swears he would never play: Donald Trump.
In a new interview with Playboy, the Fahrenheit 451 star did not hold back on his thoughts of the president. When asked if he would ever want to play Trump, Shannon responded simply, “No.”
“Just to get inside his head? You talked about being fascinated by bad men who are suffering,” the magazine asked, to which Shannon replied, “How do you mean? How is he suffering?”
“He’s having the time of his life,” Shannon said when asked whether he believes Trump is struggling with demons. “He doesn’t even have to work. All the hard work that most people have to do to get to be president of the United States, he just skipped all that. The fucking guy doesn’t even know what’s in the Constitution. He doesn’t have any grasp of history or politics or law or anything. He’s just blindfolded, throwing darts at the side of a bus.”
The actor also scoffed at the suggestion of having empathy towards the president. “What is there to be empathetic about,” he remarked.
When asked what he thinks goes through Trump’s mind at night, Shannon similarly didn’t pull any punches: “He’s probably thinking, ‘I want some fucking pussy.’ I don’t know. I’m not going to remotely contemplate the notion that Trump is capable of deep reflection.”
“In any form?” the outlet asked. “In any form! It doesn’t happen. Fuck that guy,” Shannon said. “When he’s alone with his thoughts, he’s not capable of anything more complex than ‘I want some pussy and a cheeseburger. Maybe my wife will fuck me if I tell her she’s pretty.'”
The actor had similar thoughts on reaching out to Trump supporters. “Somebody who thinks Trump is doing a good job, there’s no conversation to have with that person,” said Shannon, adding, “I know they say you should reach across the aisle and all that crap, but to me it feels like putting your hand into a fan.”
The two-time Oscar nominee has been outspoken about Trump in the past. Shannon previously told Metro News in 2016, “No offense to the seniors out there. My mom’s a senior citizen. But if you’re voting for Trump, it’s time for the urn.” He also advised those that are struggling with talking to their Trump-supporting relatives to stop speaking to them altogether.
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter