Celebrities Rallied Behind Dr. Fauci During Pandemic, Private Journals Reveal

During the coronavirus outbreak that began in March 2020, numerous high-profile entertainers became outspoken supporters of Dr. Anthony Fauci as he emerged as the leading federal voice on the nation’s pandemic response. Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul of Kentucky released private journals this week from the 85-year-old infectious disease specialist that document his awareness of expanding celebrity attention throughout the health crisis. The diary entries chronicle Fauci’s experiences meeting and interacting with entertainment figures across 2020.

Fauci’s May 2020 journal entries captured his astonishment at his sudden prominence, describing his fame as “explosive and really unimaginable.” He documented becoming “the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable person in the world.” The physician’s diaries extensively detailed his personal encounters with Hollywood stars including Julia Roberts, Barbra Streisand and Sean Penn.

Julia Roberts conducted a public Instagram Live session with Fauci as part of the ONE Campaign’s #PassTheMic effort, calling him “maybe the coolest man on the planet right now.” Roberts presented Fauci with amfAR’s Award of Courage in February 2021, prompting a diary entry where Fauci noted her reaction was so emotional she needed water. He described Roberts as “absolutely fabulous” and “totally down to earth,” confessing embarrassment when she claimed he was her personal hero.

Reality television personality Kim Kardashian organized a private Zoom gathering in April 2020 that brought Fauci together with 36 celebrities, athletes and social media figures. Participants included Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Brad Falchuk, Tiffany Haddish, 2 Chainz and Dennis Quaid. In a November 2020 CNN interview, Fauci commended the group’s engagement, saying he was “impressed by the questions they asked, by their level of sophistication” on pandemic prevention.

Fauci justified his participation in the celebrity call by highlighting the reach of their combined social media platforms. He told CNN that each participant commanded “enormous numbers of followers” capable of spreading public health information to millions. Perry and Bloom, then engaged, demonstrated their support by wearing matching black “Fauci Gang” hoodies in a May 2020 Instagram post by Bloom, with proceeds directed to the CDC Foundation’s Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund.

Jennifer Garner hosted Fauci for an extended Instagram Live conversation in September 2020, publicly crediting him for “never lying to us” and “always giving it to us straight.” The discussion covered parental anxieties about school reopenings, youth athletics, vaccinations and theater safety. Garner praised what she viewed as Fauci’s essential contributions to public health during the crisis.

Leonardo DiCaprio recognized Fauci at the National Italian American Foundation’s 2020 virtual gala, where the physician received the Leonardo da Vinci Award for Leadership in Health and Science. DiCaprio’s tribute emphasized Fauci’s dedication to public service amid “the most devastating pandemic in a century.” Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Douglas, Patti LuPone, Bono, Marisa Tomei, Alan Alda, Dionne Warwick and Angelica Huston also offered public accolades.

Matthew McConaughey conducted a 40-minute Instagram interview with Fauci in August 2020 exploring COVID-19 misinformation, vaccines and how politics had shaped the pandemic response. McConaughey voiced his frustration over what he described as the “politicization” of the virus, saying he felt “more than disillusioned — actually quite full of rage” by partisan divisions. He concluded the conversation by backing Fauci’s call for nationwide unity similar to the national response after World War II and 9/11.

Alyssa Milano positioned herself as one of Fauci’s most persistent celebrity advocates, regularly sharing his interviews with her social media audience and urging followers to heed his advice. Yet Milano, a prominent Trump opponent, critiqued Fauci’s strategy in a July 2020 X post, asserting he “just sat there as Trump made ridiculous uneducated public health claims” and permitted “the White House to silence him as things continued to spiral out of control.”

Mark Ruffalo consistently lauded Fauci across social media during the pandemic, writing in an April 2020 X post: “Thank you Dr. Fauci for speaking truth to power.” The actor regularly shared Fauci’s guidance on public health and vaccines and defended him against growing attacks as the year advanced. George Takei, known for “Star Trek,” similarly provided steady public endorsement of Fauci on social platforms, celebrating his continuation under the Biden administration starting in January 2021.