Hollywood is speaking out after a Supreme Court draft opinion regarding the possible overturning of Roe v. Wade leaked online.
The document was published by the outlet Politico on May 2. According to the draft opinion, which has not been obtained by E! News, it was written by Justice Samuel Alito and circulated in February.
The documents indicate that the court may rule in favor of Mississippi in a pending case, called Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, about the legality of the state's ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. According to NBC News, the final decision is set to come in late June or July and the outcome may change. The case challenges the ruling of the 1973 case Roe v. Wade, which holds the Constitution protects an individual's right to an abortion prior to fetus viability.
"It is time to heed the Constitution," the documents reportedly state, "and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."
In a statement, the Supreme Court confirmed that "the document described in yesterday's reports is authentic" but noted "it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case." Chief Justice John Roberts also announced that an investigation into the leak has been launched.
President Joe Biden reacted to the leaked document in a statement on May 3. "I believe that a woman's right to choose is fundamental," he said in part. "Roe has been the law of the land for almost fifty years, and basic fairness and the stability of our law demand that it not be overturned."
Several stars also spoke out. Read their reactions below.
Reese Witherspoon: "Hey SCOTUS. Let Roe Vs. Wade stand. You did it in 1992. Stare Decicis. This has been decided."
Bill Gates: "I was shocked to wake up to the news this morning. A reversal of Roe v. Wade would set us back 50 years and disproportionately impact the most vulnerable women in society. I support a woman's right to make their own decisions about their health care."
Sophia Bush: "How nice that these ideological nuts who don't care about democracy or the will of the people—who overwhelmingly support a woman's right to choose—can feel safe inside whilst they eviscerate our rights and condemn women to die. Abortion will never end. Only safe abortions."
Amber Tamblyn: "Tonight our highest court declared war on more than half of its citizens—women and birthing people everywhere. The overturning of Roe V Wade is a political act of violence against us and we will not accept it. We will fight and we will not stop. EVER."
Josh Gad: "Make no mistake. A majority in this country are angry tonight. Not a small majority. A giant majority. I am seeing that rage. I am hearing that rage. I am feeling that rage. And to all scared women tonight, I will fight for you & with you. I will fight like hell. We all must."
Questlove: "Welp. We got through the House Of Cards era….Now we bout to visit the Handmaids Tale era. Y'all better get on the ball w these midterms smh."
Rosanna Arquette: "Get your Boots off our wombs."
Seth MacFarlane: "As the staggeringly partisan, right wing-dominated SCOTUS nudges America closer to Handmaids Tale status, the importance of voting in EVERY election becomes even more obvious. One would hope today's news erases any further delusions that "both parties are pretty much the same."
Billie Jean King: "A woman has had the right to make decisions for her body since #RoeVWade in 1973. If Roe falls, millions of Americans would lose access to critical reproductive care. It is vital that we do all we can to protect this legislation."
Megyn Kelly: "It's hard to read this draft opinion & not feel deeply for the pro-life advocates who have worked tirelessly for five decades in the hopes of one day reading these words, or for the pro-choice advocates who have worked equally hard to avoid them."
She added, "Our country is so divided right now, and this is one of the most difficult, emotional issues. Genuinely good, loving ppl on both sides (tho not reflected on Twitter). Feels like a good time to say a prayer & love thy neighbor."
Hillary Clinton: "Not surprising. But still outrageous. This decision is a direct assault on the dignity, rights, & lives of women, not to mention decades of settled law. It will kill and subjugate women even as a vast majority of Americans think abortion should be legal. What an utter disgrace."
George Takei: "Those motherf*****s really did it. First they came for Black voters, then they targeted LGBTQ+ families. Now, women of America, they're overruling Roe v. Wade. We have to unite and strike back. Take to the streets. Overwhelm them at the ballot box. They have gone too damn far."
Maria Shriver: "I'm so, what's the word right now? I can't say it. Everyone is focused on whose wearing what at the Met Gala and women's rights are taking the biggest hit in plain sight. I wish everyone would focus on one thing. We need everyone to focus on the news coming out regarding #SCOTUS."
Jameela Jamil: "This of course applies to people of all genders who can become pregnant. But because for almost all of history we have looked at this as a woman's issue only, we have treated it with the same disregard, nay hatred as all women's issues. Because the patriarchy hates women, because they fear women. Remember that right below the deep misogyny of wanting to control women's lives, is the immense classism that ensures that the privileged will still have options to fly to other countries to take control of their bodies. People with uteruses who do not have money, many of whom are also POC, will not have these safe alternatives. They will take life risking/ending measures to take back their bodies. Or they will be forced into pregnancy, birth, parenthood or the pain of having to give your child away because you weren't ready/didn't want a baby/couldn't afford to raise a child in a country that hates And abandons humans as soon as they are born. They are only sacred inside the womb. Once out, the are an opportunity or a problem. I'm so sorry. I'm so disgusted. We have time to turn this around. But we need to get motivated politically. Stop screaming at the wrong people. Start organizing to put the right people in place to protect us from the ACTUAL bad people threatening the freedom of HALF THE COUNTRY."