Culture 4 min read By Trevor Kendall
Danny Trejo's Son Says Actor Never Heard of Ben Shapiro Before Daily Wire Film
Gilbert Trejo says his father signed on to the pro-ICE film 'Pawn Shop' without knowing who Ben Shapiro was and is contractually barred from criticizing the project.
Danny Trejo had never heard of Ben Shapiro when he agreed to star in the Daily Wire film «Pawn Shop,» according to his son, who says the actor is now contractually bound to the project and unable to speak out against it.
Gilbert Trejo said his father did not know who the conservative commentator was, or what kind of public figure he is, until roughly two weeks into production on the film, which is backed by Shapiro's Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend. The younger Trejo described the situation bluntly, saying his father is «handcuffed to this stupid project» and cannot say anything negative about Shapiro or the movie because of his contract.
The revelation comes as Danny Trejo faces growing backlash over his involvement in the film, which has been characterized as pro-ICE. The actor, long known for playing tough guys in films such as «Machete» and «Con Air,» has built a public persona rooted in his recovery from addiction and his advocacy for working people. That image has collided with the politics surrounding the Daily Wire's latest production, leaving fans and observers questioning how he ended up attached to it.
According to his son, the answer is simple: he did not know what he was signing up for. Gilbert Trejo's account suggests the actor was unaware of Shapiro's role in the project or his political profile when he committed to the film. By the time he understood the full picture, the contract was already in place.
The Daily Wire, co-founded by Shapiro, has expanded into film production in recent years, positioning itself as an alternative to mainstream Hollywood. Its projects have drawn attention less for their box office performance than for the political statements they make and the actors they attract. Casting a performer with Trejo's cross-generational appeal in a film tied to immigration enforcement has made the project a flashpoint online.
For Trejo, the fallout is personal as well as professional. His career has been defined in part by roles that made him a hero to Latino audiences and to viewers who see him as an authentic presence rather than a polished Hollywood star. A project perceived as aligned with hardline immigration politics cuts against that reputation, and the backlash has been swift on social media and in entertainment press.
Gilbert Trejo's comments also raise questions about how much actors know when they sign on to politically charged projects. In an era when production companies with explicit ideological brands are making films and series, talent agencies and managers are often expected to vet the broader political context of a deal. Whether that vetting happened in this case is unclear, but the younger Trejo's account suggests it did not.
The contractual silence his son describes is a standard feature of Hollywood agreements, where actors are typically barred from disparaging their own films or the companies behind them during and after production. That constraint means Trejo cannot publicly distance himself from the project even as criticism mounts, leaving his son to speak on his behalf.
Neither Danny Trejo nor representatives for the Daily Wire have issued a detailed public response to the backlash. The film's release plans and the extent of Trejo's role in it have not been fully outlined. What is clear is that a veteran actor known for his redemption story is now at the center of a political fight he may not have seen coming, and his family says he is stuck in it.
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