Calls for a Netflix boycott have intensified following mounting pressure from MAGA supporters.
It seems barely a week goes by without someone urging others to cancel their Netflix subscriptions. From rising prices to controversial content and AI concerns, new reasons to protest the streaming giant continue to emerge. This time, however, the movement gained massive traction after Elon Musk joined in—urging his 226 million followers on X to drop the platform altogether.
The billionaire’s post came just days after he addressed being mentioned in the recently released Epstein Files. Shortly afterward, Musk redirected his attention toward Netflix, calling on his followers to abandon the service. His remarks coincided with the backlash following Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting at Utah Valley University, a tragedy that sparked outrage within the MAGA community and channeled their anger toward the streaming platform.
In the aftermath, several public figures faced criticism for their reactions to Kirk’s death. Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily “cancelled” online, while a university professor faced dismissal calls after labeling Kirk a “nazi.”
Amid the controversy, attention turned to Hamish Steele, creator of Dead End: Paranormal Park. An account believed to belong to Steele posted a furious response to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s condolences to Kirk’s family, allegedly writing:
“Why the fk are you even commenting on this, dkhead. A random nazi gets shot, and it’s a public statement. You’re such a f**king evil sh*t.”
According to The Daily Beast, Musk later reshared a video from Libs of TikTok, showing a scene from Steele’s Netflix series where the main character, Barney, comes out as transgender. The clip also featured Norma, a bisexual and autistic character. Together, the scene sparked fresh criticism from viewers who deemed the show “woke.”
By amplifying the post, Musk added his own caption:
“This is not ok.”
One user commented that they had cancelled their subscription, explaining it was because “Hamish Steele celebrating Charlie Kirk’s murder.” Musk replied with a brief but direct response:
“Same.”
This is not ok https://t.co/dFTWYYm83A
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 30, 2025
Since then, he has continued reposting messages from followers who claim to have cancelled their subscriptions in protest. However, it’s worth noting that Dead End: Paranormal Park had already been cancelled in 2023 after two seasons.
Meanwhile, Steele addressed the backlash on BlueSky, describing it as a “very odd day.” He clarified:
“My Instagram comments are now flooded with replies saying I AM CHARLIE KIRK and that I celebrated his death (which I never did).”
As online harassment escalated, Steele added:
“I have mostly been very ok today and found it all quite funny, while really appreciating everyone who has reached out, but the extremely nasty weird homophonic and antisemitic emails have started rolling in and it is getting a little scary so I apologise if I take longer to respond to stuff.”
Steele has long credited Netflix for backing his show’s LGBTQ+ themes. In 2020, he praised the company, saying there was “absolutely no pushback from Netflix” about queer representation and that “I think it was actually a key reason they wanted it.”
The boycott momentum also follows renewed outrage over Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings donating $2 million to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting campaign.
Whether this latest wave of boycott calls will impact Netflix’s subscriber numbers remains uncertain. But with Musk’s enormous platform and 226 million followers, his call to action carries the potential to reach—and influence—a vast global audience.
