Dune actor Timothée Chalamet made the internet laugh after he appeared to criticize Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat who represents West Virginia, by sharing a meme comparing him to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, one of the villains from Dune.
Chalamet posted the meme to his Instagram Stories, which quickly caught the attention of others across social media.
In comparing Manchin to Baron Harkonnen, the meme highlights their mutual interest in using the government for personal enrichment, ignoring the will of the people and "destroying the climate."
Lol Timothée Chalamet is popping off pic.twitter.com/wzHrnFd4M3
— CHOAM Accountant (@_Jason_Dean_) October 27, 2021
Chalamet has never really expressed his political opinions until now but the actor—who also appears in this year's The French Dispatch—seems just as disillusioned with Manchin as much of the American public.
Manchin has been widely criticized for delaying attempts by House and Senate Democrats to codify much of their economic and social policy agenda via a major spending bill.
The plan is part of efforts from the Democrats to respond to the climate crisis, invest in infrastructure and expand education, healthcare and childcare.
It would constitute the largest broadening of the social safety net in years.
And, understandably, many on social media have vented their frustration, but taken rather kindly to Chalamet's meme.
As much as celebrity is a spectacle, this is the kind of all hands on deck approach we need right now https://t.co/4nZKLgzcKV
— Mishap (@mishap1968) October 28, 2021
Dude this is just like dune https://t.co/2gzSC15EI2
— fka jiMaLi (@cloud__hammer) October 29, 2021
Hmm it's almost like Herbert's novel was a commentary 🤔 https://t.co/HeARgCpi8A
— Kaitlyn Howell (@KaityHowell) October 28, 2021
Well done https://t.co/prIEY3g2uw
— Ohwhatup (@Swole_Dan) October 28, 2021
Legend https://t.co/gvjRQQSNnK
— lorenzo pinna (@lorenzo__pinna) October 28, 2021
I can not unsee this 💀💀 https://t.co/FuPrbHnyhm
— Hannah Snodgrass (@HannahSnodgra10) October 29, 2021
Get em Tim https://t.co/esa1XNgDL9
— Hayden Lewis (@haydenrlewis) October 28, 2021
This is hilarious 😂😂 https://t.co/aJ0lH1axcD
— John Dutton (@Cody_Sanders21) October 28, 2021
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣I love it https://t.co/u2hoKROg0O
— Micycle but as the worst person alive (@micycleprime) October 29, 2021
Manchin says he's opposed to abolishing the Senate filibuster as a workaround to increasing the nation's borrowing limit, dealing a blow to more progressive members of Congress who have suggested it as a viable path forward.
He has also said the plan must include the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal agencies, including Medicaid, from paying for abortion expenses, saying he considers the bill "dead on arrival" if that's not on the table.
President Biden has met with Manchin and Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Sinema several times to hear their concerns, meetings that no doubt contributed to the plan's being slashed considerably.
Both Sinema and Manchin have balked at the size of the plan and their meetings with Biden came as Democratic strategists advised the President to take a more active role in talks about the legislation.
Earlier this morning, House Democrats announced they had put paid family leave back into their spending bill.
The paid family leave provision is popular but nearly tanked the bill after Manchin voiced his opposition.
