Here’s a sentence that feels super weird to utter out loud: James Woods did the right thing.
More specifically, during his an appearance on Jesse Watters Primetime (via Variety), the outspoken conservative actor effectively denounced Donald Trump for the president’s loathsome comments toward the late Rob Reiner. I guess this counts as an early Christmas miracle?!
If you’re somehow not up to date, Trump hit Truth Social earlier this week to insult and diminish Reiner’s legacy, going to so far as to claim that he suffered from “TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.” When he was greeted with the resulting backlash from across the social and political spectrum, Trump doubled down, admitting that he never liked the famed director.
Woods, who worked with Reiner on 1996’s Ghosts of Mississippi, has long been an ardent Trump supporter. But it seems his relationship with Reiner simply runs deeper than allegiances to some half-cocked politician.
“Rob literally saved my career and really put me back on track in a way that was so important and rewarding in my life,” Woods said. “He really fought for me when a studio didn’t want me in a movie. I went from really being basically out of a job to getting an Academy Award nomination, and I give all the credit to Rob.”
What complicates the pair’s supposed friendship, then, is their political allegiances. Despite Reiner being a lifelong liberal activity (for instance, he played a key role in overturning California’s anti-marriage equality Prop 8), Woods believed that both men remained committed to building a better world through meaningful dialogue.
“I judge people by how they treat me, and Rob Reiner was a Godsend in my life. We got along great, we loved each other… He was always on my side… When people would say to me, ‘What do you think of his politics?’ I would say, ‘I think Rob Reiner is a great patriot,'” Woods remarked. “Do I agree on many of his ideas on how that patriotism should be enacted, to celebrate the America that we both love? No. He doesn’t agree with me either, but he also respects my patriotism. We had a different path to the same destination, which was a country we both love.”
Along those same lines, Woods’ trust in Reiner was further cemented following the assassination of Charlie Kirk back in September. (In the wake of his death, Reiner’s comments regarding Kirk went viral once again.)
“I knew Charlie Kirk, I supported him…people said some such horrible things, and Rob did not,” Woods said. “When people say horrible things about Rob right now, I find it, quite frankly, infuriating and distasteful. Did I agree with his politics? I did not. Did I love him as I friend, as an artist, as an icon of Hollywood, and as a patriot? I most certainly did, and I am just absolutely devastated.”
As odd as it is to say, it’s heartening to see at least one MAGA faithful embrace decency and humanity when it actually matters. Not that Woods’ past “sins” have somehow been resolved, but at least he’s not reached the true Trump-ian status of “Fart Ogre Supreme.”
Check out Woods’ full appearance below.
🚨 MUST WATCH: Legendary Actor JAMES WOODS gets EMOTIONAL when talking about ROB REINER’S MURDER 🚨
“Rob literally SAVED my CAREER and really put me back on track in a way that was so important and rewarding in my life” 🤯
“People would go, ‘How is it that you and Rob Reiner… pic.twitter.com/XTCc0LYkfR
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) December 16, 2025
