Gilbert Trejo Defends His Father
Gilbert Trejo has spoken out in support of his father, Danny Trejo, as the actor faces criticism for appearing in Pawn Shop, a Daily Wire and Bonfire Legend release. In remarks posted to his Instagram Story and picked up by The San Fernando Valley Sun, Gilbert said his father only learned who Ben Shapiro was roughly two weeks into shooting. Danny, he said, accepted the job after his agent pitched it as a nuanced tale of a difficult era in which the only sympathetic figure is a hardworking Mexican shop owner seeking calm, and he was keen to portray a decent man.[S1]
Gilbert further stated that his father is contractually unable to criticize Shapiro, the film, or leave the project without facing a breach-of-contract lawsuit. He said Danny could not even release the statement he wanted to. Gilbert described the situation as messed up, saying his father is handcuffed to a stupid project while many people have turned their backs on him without knowing the facts. He argued that Ben Shapiro managed to get Mexicans to abandon one of their heroes, pushed his own name to the top of Google searches, and made them look like angry fools lacking nuance, concluding that Shapiro wins.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6]
Danny Trejo Breaks His Silence
Last week, Danny Trejo addressed the social media comments about his involvement in the film. He stated that he is a proud Mexican who has always supported and will always support his community, and that he is obviously pro-immigrant but not pro-ICE. He emphasized that he knows where he comes from and understands the struggles of his people. Trejo explained that he is an actor and his job is to tell a story, ending his message with a blessing.[S1]
Protests and Production Hurdles
Residents have raised objections since shooting got underway, citing what they say was the unannounced use of blank rounds, pyrotechnics, and a staged vehicle crash near homes and businesses. They were also troubled by the opening sequence, which seems to depict ICE fatally shooting Renée Good in Minnesota in January. Filming paused earlier this month and restarted last Tuesday under an amended permit. That permit obliges the crew to keep the Livingston Food Resource Center pantry reachable for locals and to keep violent imagery and loud noise away from the public. The production further pledged to respond to complaints about private security by barring any policing or harassment of residents on nearby public streets.[S1]
Ben Shapiro framed the halt as an attack on free expression, describing the film's detractors as censorious jackasses who are hostile to free speech. The Pawn Shop synopsis centers on a young federal agent who becomes stuck inside a Minneapolis pawn shop alongside a traditional Hispanic father and the man's progressive college-aged son, a situation that compels three very different people to face fear, clashing worldviews, and a crisis that puts their bravery and shared humanity to the test.[S1]
