Hillbilly Elegy Director Ron Howard Admits He’s ‘Surprised and Concerned’ About JD Vance’s Turn to Trump

Director Ron Howard was asked about his perspective on Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), years after working with former President Donald Trump’s running mate on the film adaptation of his memoir Hillbilly Elegy. In short, he was “surprised” about the turn his former subject took.

Howard was promoting his new movie Eden at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. In a video with the movie’s cast published by Variety, Howard was asked (at the 5:34 mark) for his reaction to Vance’s “political ascent” since Hillbilly Elegy was released in 2020:

I have been surprised and concerned by a lot of the rhetoric coming out of that campaign. There’s no version of me voting for Donald Trump to be President again, whoever the Vice President was. But given the experience that I had then 5, 6 years ago, yeah, I’d say that I’ve been surprised. And look, we gotta get out and vote, for whomever. But be thoughtful. Listen to what the candidates are saying today, that’s what’s really relevant it’s who they are today. And make a decision, an informed one.

Glenn Close, who co-starred in Hillbilly Elegy and was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Vance’s grandmother Eve, took a swipe at Vance’s comment about “childless cat ladies” last month, saying in an Instagram post: “Eve would have left a bleeding mouse head in the bed of anyone who criticized any kind of lady with a CAT!”

Watch the full video above via Variety on YouTube.