WARNING: potential spoilers for Stranger Things 4
*****
Actor Matthew Modine—star of films like Streamers and Full Metal Jacket who has found legions of new fans as the core villain of Netflix's Stranger Things—says the villain he plays on the show is "more moral" than former Republican President Donald Trump.
During an interview with Vulture, Modine spoke at length about Dr. Martin Brenner, the character he plays on the show, who in a pivotal scene in its fourth season asks for forgiveness from the psychokinetic Eleven, played by actress Millie Bobby Brown, but doesn't get it.
Modine noted if Brenner had actually been granted forgiveness, he “would spend the remaining days of his life knowing he had been forgiven, but having to accept responsibility for what he did.”
Then, turning his attention to Trump, Modine said:
"Do you think Donald Trump is able to sleep at night with a clear conscience? Or does he have to sedate himself and become a psychopathic liar in order to justify the behavior and the things that he’s done?"
"Well, maybe he is. That’s a bad example."
"I think Dr. Brenner is a more moral person than that, and he’d have to spend his final days acknowledging and accepting responsibility for the pain he caused."
"That’s the real nightmare — not being able to escape your thoughts and the things you’ve seen or done."
While some concurred with Modine's assessment, others doubted Trump has a conscience at all.
Rick Blessinger/HuffPost
Owen Elmore/HuffPost
whynot useyourhead/HuffPost
Terry Lee/HuffPost
Terry Lee/HuffPost
Wild Bill/HuffPost
Greg Jolicoeur/HuffPost
Ron undefined/HuffPost
Tim Miller/HuffPost
Modine's remarks came after the most recent hearing into the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, the day a White nationalist lead mob of Trump's supporters attacked the United States Capitol on the false premise the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
The hearing focused on the three weeks between the meeting of the Electoral College on December 14, 2020 and the certification of the electoral votes on January 6, 2021, and Trump's efforts to stay in power.
The committee established the attack on the Capitol, spurred by Trump's lies, was planned in advance. Additionally, a rioter who pleaded guilty to breaching the Capitol testified how Trump's behavior in the weeks prior to the attack influenced his actions on that day.
