‘Chilling’: Ariana Grande, Amanda Gorman and others sign letter against book bans

Letter, spearheaded by Reading Rainbow's LeVar Burton, includes 175 signatories calling on Hollywood to fight bans in US schools

Ariana Grande, Guillermo del Toro, Mark Ruffalo and Amanda Gorman are among the over 175 actors, entertainers, authors, activists and others who have signed an open letter calling on Hollywood to use their influence to oppose book bans.

The letter, spearheaded by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton and published via the political advocacy organization MoveOn Political Action, calls out books bans in US schools as restrictive behavior" that is antithetical to free speech and expression". It also emphasizes the chilling effect" the bans, often implemented at the local level, can have on the broader creative field".