8 Celebrities Who Hate Trigger Warnings

These trigger warnings are definitely helpful for people who are sensitive to certain topics — but not everyone agrees. In fact, many stakeholders openly admit that they do not believe in trigger warnings. They prefer that viewers know nothing about the content of a program or performance before watching it. While this may contain an element of surprise, it is definitely not the right choice for many audience members.

Read on to find out what these stars had to say about trigger warnings…

1. Matt Smith

Matt Smith recently shared that he doesn’t accept trigger warnings before television shows or theater productions. Your show, Dragon Househas often been criticized for not including warnings, but he does not believe they need to be added. The actor, who tends to play polarizing characters, says telling viewers what to expect before they see it goes against the purpose of a project.

“Being shocked, surprised, moved the issue?” he said The times. “It’s okay to feel uncomfortable or provoked while looking at a painting or watching a play, but I worry that everything is being dialed in and dumbed down. We’re telling the audience that they’re going to be scared before they watch anything.”

He continued: “It’s a shame to over-police stories and be afraid to put them out there because the mood is a certain way. I’m not sure I’m ok with the trigger warnings.”

2. Edie Falco

When Edie Falco starred The Sopranosthe show offered no trigger warnings before controversial episodes — even though the series “always shocked someone about something.” Looking back, she says the goal was to surprise people, which is now lost with trigger warnings.

“You could push the envelope and make people uncomfortable — forgive me, but without a trigger warning,” she said on Smart Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos documentary. “The whole point is you want to surprise people and give them feelings that are maybe uncomfortable and have them learn to deal with them. That, my friend, is life… You won’t get trigger warnings when terrible things happen.”

3. Judi Dench

When Judi Dench Upon learning that many spectators were receiving warnings before plays and other productions began, she says she was really surprised. She joked that there must be “very long trigger warnings” before King Lear and Titus Andronicus – and added that if people were that sensitive, they should probably avoid the theater.

“I understand why they exist, but if you are that sensitive, don’t go to the theater because you might be very shocked. Where is the surprise in seeing and understanding this in your own way?” she told the UK Radio times.

4. Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes is firmly against trigger warnings, explaining that he believes people who visit the theater should be “shocked and disturbed” by what they see. While he doesn’t support most trigger warnings, he believes there should be an exception for triggers that could “affect people physically,” like strobe lights.

“I don’t think we used to have trigger warnings. I mean, there are very disturbing scenes in Macbethterrible murders and things like that. But I think the impact of theater should be to leave you shocked and disturbed. I don’t think you have to be prepared for these things and when I was young I never got trigger warnings for programmes,” Ralph told BBC One’s. Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

He continued: “Shakespeare’s plays are full of murderers, full of horror. As a young student and theater lover, I have never experienced trigger warnings that tell me, ‘By the way, King LearGloucester will have its eyes gouged out’… Theater has to be alive and connected in the present. It’s the shock, the unexpected, that’s what makes being an actor (in) theater so exciting.”

5. Ian McKellen

When Ian McKellen was starring Frank and Percy in London, the play featured warnings about strong language, sexual references and mourning – and Ian thought the whole thing was ridiculous. He didn’t hold back when asked how he felt about these warnings being in theaters.

“Outside theaters and in lobbies, including this one, the public is warned ‘there is a loud noise and at one point there are flashing lights’, ‘there is reference to smoking’, ‘there is reference to mourning’” Ian told Sky News. “I think this is ridiculous. I really enjoy being surprised by loud noises and outrageous behavior on stage.”

6. Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett says he believes the overuse of trigger warnings is preventing people from having honest, deep conversations. When it comes to theater, she believes there is no better feeling than watching a production “with a bunch of strangers in the dark, collectively committed to observing what you are experiencing, and then discussing it vigorously” – even if it offends you or challenges your thoughts.

“Culturally, we are terrified of difficult conversations… but we need them,” she said The times. “We talk about radical candor, but when there is a warning about something, you are implying that there is a lack of mutual respect or that the subject was not properly interrogated.”

7.Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino is not a fan of trigger warnings, explaining that he believes being offended by material is the “first response of a very narrow mind.” Even though he had been offended by movies in the past, especially one particular movie that he considered “racist,” he realized that it was “his problem” and that it was “just a movie” after all.

“I reject the word ‘offended’. Anyone can be offended by anything. Frankly, I think most of the time – and there are undoubtedly some exceptions – saying you’re “offended” by a film is the first response of a very narrow-minded person. ‘I didn’t like it, and here’s why, blah, blah, blah…’” said Quentin The Liberation.

He continued: “But man, being offended? Art is not an offense. And while, in rare cases, I can understand, it’s just ridiculous to be offended by the content of a film.”

8.Christopher Biggins

British actor and television personality Christopher Biggins had a strong response upon learning that the Globe Theater was issuing warnings ahead of the production of Cheese and guava. He called the whole thing a “crazy awakening.”

“If you have to give warning signs to Shakespeare, where do you stop? Do we need to have signs for everything under the sun? It’s a joke. What they are trying to do is an insult to the mindset of the viewers,” said Christopher he said. “You go to the theater because you want to go see something, I don’t know anyone who goes on a whim and says let’s see what it’s like.”