Actor and failed GOP candidate Antonio Sabàto Jr. was one of the few–very few– Hollywood celebrities to publicly support Donald Trump in 2016. And while his candidate may have won, his career in Hollywood abruptly ended.
“I had to sell everything,” Sabàto tells Variety in a new interview. “I had to pay all my debts. I was blacklisted. All my representatives left me, from agents to managers to commercial agents. I literally had to move, find a new job to survive and take care of my kids. It’s been terrible.”
The 47-year-old former Calvin Klein model continues, “It’s mind-blowing. It’s a disgrace. It’s tough, because if you’re in that environment in Hollywood and you have something to say that they don’t like, they’re going to let you know.”
Related: Straight GOP candidate on gay film past: “I am not ashamed!”
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In addition to bit parts on shows like Melrose Place and General Hospital, Sabàto appeared in a number of gay-themed films in the early 2000s.
His first was in 2003’s Testosterone where he played Pablo, a gay Argentine who disappears under mysterious circumstances. He spends half the movie in his underwear and even gets fully naked at one point:
He also appeared in 2005’s Deadly Skies, a made-for-TV piece of crap about an Air Force officer dismissed under the the homophobic “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. In it, Sabàto once against gets naked and has a graphic (by 2005 standards) gay sex scene with his boyfriend:
Oh, and then there was this mildly homoerotic underwear wrestling scene he appear in in 1996’s Codename: Wolverine:
Speaking to Variety, Sabàto says he had a contact for a reality show with ABC that was yanked after he threw his support behind Trump.
“They offered me a job and they pulled it,” he says. “I’ve been working as an actor for 30 years. I haven’t done anything else. I did very well for 30 years.”
He also had a major film project shelved.
“I was talking to a distribution company about producing a film that was set to go, and they told me to my face, ‘We will never distribute a movie with you in it because of your affiliation with the president,’” Sabàto recalls.
“The reality is the power that makes movies happen in Hollywood–casting directors, producers, executive producers, directors–they’re all liberal. They hate anyone or anything who supports this president.”
He continues, “I always hope there’s some serious people out there that want to hire me for my talent. I rarely talked politics on sets anyway. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
Today, Sabàto is doing construction work in Florida to make ends meet.
“I’m on the ground,” he says. “I go on the job at two in the morning, and I’m making sure that the job is controlled and supervised by me. I’m in the car all day, driving, going through all the sites. Five days a week, nonstop.”
Despite losing, frankly, everything, Sabàto says he doesn’t regret backing Trump.
“I was the first celebrity to come out and talk about the president, and he had my vote from day one,” Sabàto says. “I was the first one to say he was going to win. My integrity is intact.”
His career, on the other hand, is another story.
Asked whether he’ll vote for Trump again in 2020, Sabàto replies, “Of course. I think he’ll be elected by 100 million votes.”
Related: Straight GOP candidate outed for gay “adult film” past, says “That’s just the way any actor works”
frapachino
Sorry dude but your career was over long before Trump.
Jim
A few bit parts is not a “career.” And how does a homophobe play so many gay parts?
[email protected]
he would be great playing whatever happened to Sarah Sanders
Chrisk
Ah yes the common theme in all these movies is Antonio getting naked. Not that I don’t approve or anything. Lets face it though. It sure wasn’t your acting abilities. Lol
I’m not sure this whole republican thing did much to you either way. Maybe the final straw at best.
rbernard
Antonio Sabato had enough going with his looks and was marginally talented enough to get by in the entertainment business, but he self destructed his little career and has no one to blame, but with his embrace of Trumpean politics.
Jim
Karma’s a bitch.
Tempus
I feel like there’s more to the story. I have seen Antonio Sabato Jr a few times over the years but when I actually look at his list of movie credits I’m not sure I’ve watched even 1 of them. He’s best known for being an underwear model and a soap opera star which doesn’t translate to an amazing career in movies. I’m not saying that his choice of supporting a man like Donald Trump didn’t hurt his career some but I find it hard to believe that nobody in the world will hire him as an actor based on that alone. It’s bad to say this but seems like his physical appearance played a big part in his roles so perhaps vanity & superficiality is why he lost out on some jobs as maybe they didn’t think he was as attractive anymore. That’s just idle speculation but I just have trouble believing nobody would hire him based on his political stance.
SumSay
Sabato was also (and maybe still does) abuse prescription drugs according to his ex wife, while also having a history of meth use in his past. He also made some strange career choices like being the spokesperson for a mail-order bride service. I highly doubt his political views contributed to his “fall from grace”. Plenty of actors that supported Trump are still getting calls.
DuMaurier
I haven’t followed him much since his very early days (when I thought he was not only beautiful but a charmer in interviews), although I do own a DVD of “Testosterone”, but I figured there was more to the story. When he ‘came out’ as a Trumpster I noticed him again, and he said some pretty outrageous things on social media so it may have had some effect, but if nothing else, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be one of those ‘mature’ B-list actors who get Hallmark movie gigs, so even before I saw these comments I had a hunch there were other issues behind the scenes.
Grrrowler
I’d like to feel bad for him. I really would. But I just can’t because I don’t care about him. Good for him for supporting his candidate of choice but I have no sympathy that his circumstances have changed because of that support. His fall is because of a choice he made to support a bigot racist homophobe. Now maybe he knows what it’s like for many gay people who suffer merely for trying to be who they are, without a choice given to them.
justyouandi
How is Trump a bigot, racist, homophobe, Grrrowler?
Jim
justyouandi: Are you blind, deaf and dumb?
innocentgay
justyouandi: “bad hombres,” travel ban that targets all Arabs except those he has financial deals with, transgender ban in the military, “religious freedom” guidance stripping same-sex partners of federal contractors of benefits hetero couples get, his picks for SCOTUS, the list is literally endless, as he adds new shit to the pile every minute of every day. He is actually the worst, and his supporters at this point are either so stupid they are unaware of their surroundings and need people to dress them, or else just as racist, sexist, homophobic, predatorial, dishonest, and hideous as he is, right through to the rotted-out core.
Granny Spoth
I agree.
Trump is the absolute worse.
Let’s reelect Obama and bomb children in the Middle East!
It was so much better.
I miss Obama.
Trans people in the military is the defining issue of our times.
Cam
@justyouandi and @Granny Spoth
It’s cute how as soon as one of your screenames like RexHusky gets cancelled you come back with two more.
Mister P
He should realize that Donald Trump doesn’t care about him either.
Trump doesn’t care about anyone but himself.
Jenniferp412
He is still one sexy man!
innocentgay
gross
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
His job offers left him bout the same time his attractiveness did….
Harley
I’m sure he can land a Kirk Cameron film, as long as he’s Jesusy enough.
Larry
Well at least he knew right where to move when he was washed up. FLORIDA. They will take anyone there.
sonic_source
Agreed. Florida isn’t at all particular when it comes to its residents. That’s why OJ moved there and Trump is doing the same.
gjg64
Celebrity? Never heard of him.
sonic_source
Oh, and he was in a Janet Jackson music video in the 1980’s.
sonic_source
Dude, being blacklisted and being a has-been/never was, D list “celebrity” are not the same thing. You were “famous” for one thing only…having a pretty face. Unfortunately, looks fade and when they do, so does the career they were based upon.
G R
A former pretty boy turned mediocre actor that aligned himself with 45, I have ZERO sympathy for him.
sonic_source
The article says he was “gay for pay” and is now works in construction with other muscled construction menz. I have a plot idea for his big comeback film :-).
bowlingbutch
He is an attractive man but how does he explain supporting someone filled with so much hatred toward brown people, black people and gay people? Just what does he respect Trump for? That he didn’t pay people who did work for him? that he declared bankruptcy several times? or that he cheated on each wife? That he paid porn stars to sleep with him? Antonio you made a choice and if that’s what you support you need to stay in construction.
Doug
I don’t buy this. Sabato openly stated he took part in “Testosterone” because he was desperate and wasn’t getting any offers in 2003. That was 13 years before Trump became POTUS. He’s yet another Republican who’s playing the victim card.
mlo88
I totally agree. It seems any time a republican actors career starts to fade it’s not their fault. Typical conservative narrative is to never take personal responsibility. It’s all the mean liberals working full time out to get them. Has-beens are part of industry no matter what their political affiliations…
justgeo
Body and face with poor judgment. He better keep his hat on-though he probably just holds the stop sign.
surfpenis
Oh well. Thoughts and prayers. That’s the way the cookie crumbles. Tough titty said the kitty when the milk tasted shitty. Womp womp womp. Ain’t thot a shame.
Twinbrother417
What I don’t understand is why this guy thinks that it is such a hardship to do construction. Is it beneath him to do manual labor like millions and millions of other people have to do. So he was a 2 bit actor, he’s had his shadow career, now he has to work for a living. Get a grip cowboy.
Joshooeerr
Shocking, isn’t it? Align yourself with a corrupt, racist, misogynist sociopath and some people just don’t want to know you! Who knew?
JamJewel
How cum he didn’t hit #Drumpf up for a job in housekeeping or maintenance? With all the firings of his illegals, I’d bet #Drumpf would have been able to squeeze him in at one of the Florida properties!
ScottOnEarth
Yes, Antonio, people do tend to have a problem when someone publicly supports a racist, a homophobe, a criminal, a liar, a rapist and a misogynist. I also think that the simple fact that your looks faded may have contributed to the demise of your career.
RyanMBecker
”The reality is the power that makes movies happen in Hollywood–casting directors, producers, executive producers, directors–they’re all liberal.”
He just doesn’t get it. This is not merely about liberal vs. conservative. It’s about the cesspool and incompetence that is Trump, and the harm that he’s done to our country. The fact that he’d vote for Trump again cancels any sympathy I might have for him.
I’m surprised Trump hasn’t hired Sabato as one of his many unqualified cronies, e.g. Omarosa. Maybe outreach to Latinos. Yeah, I know that he’s Italian but Trump voters are probably too stupid to know that.
stanhope
Thing deserved to be blacklisted for supporting trump…dumb can be pretty but it wears both out and thin. Buh bye.
masterwill7
Oh booboo, this happens when you turn against anything, everything and everyone that pays your bills and watched your movies in the first place. To us, you’re a traitor, next!
JustinThyme1978
I hope he is working for a construction company that is building something for Trump, because at the end of the day, Trump doesn’t pay contractors who do work for him, so it would be the ultimate karma. He also fails to recognize that “Hollywood” uses actors that appeal to audiences. Once his target audience (given his previous roles, heavily dominated by the LGBT community) found out about his Trump-ism, he immediately became unmarketable. Hollywood sells products that consumers wanna buy, and he shat on his target market. Boo freaking hoo.
ricdardc1
My personal Fell Good Story of The Day, ……Bitch go To HOME DEPOT , parking lots for work you Scum FRUMPER, & P.S. you were cute & all, but you literally had no ASS. Thank God for…. Karma.
Gary Q VV
Sabàto has the right to vote for whomever he wants. But, he must accept the consequences for his stupidity. It’s not difficult to grasp the reason why an obviously gay person would vote for Trump, and shout it from the rooftop; it’s a cover, a ruse.
tennman
He should love gay people. we are the ones who gave him his ‘career’
animatedgifman
Likely because he *isn’t* a homophobe, Jim … (merely someone unfortunate enough to have chosen to back Trump in 2016). I think it’s sad that progressives and liberals like to tout that they are ‘all inclusive’, ‘ embrace diversity ‘ and support marginalized people. Well, this is largely true (just as long as you think, feel, act, pray, look and *most* importantly vote and support the exact same candidates and causes as they do). If you don’t, you are very quickly branded a bigot, homophobe, xenophobic, misogynistic, etc.
Jim wrote: “Jim: A few bit parts is not a “career.” And how does a homophobe play so many gay parts?”
His role on General Hospital was hardly a “bit part” extending for more than a year, it was a starring role with central integral plot twists. As to Testosterone 2004, I thought he was phenomenal and gave a powerful performance. Are you suggesting he is or was homophobic purely because of his politics? For I have never heard of him publicly disparaging any member or organization benefiting the LGBTQ community and have been following him for nearly 30 years now.
rocknstan
I read several years ago that Sabato Jr. and his father share similar views, mirroring Mel Gibson and his father’s interest in a common politic. I detect some real psychosexual issues, in Sabato’s case, not to be confused with the body politic.
leauxbeaux
If he is no better at construction work he can plan to scratch yet another “career.”
RexRed
We need to stop making stupid people like Trump and his followers rich. Acting as a gay in films or even being transgender does not excuse Trump support… Not even close.
IanHunter
I have heard about him or seen him anything for 20 years. Maybe Trump will write him a check.
paul dorian lord fredine
he SAYS he was blacklisted, can’t admit you lost whatever it is you once had? your vote was your choice. stop playing the victim or just looking for sympathy and attention. poor, boo. thoughts and prayers. at least you’ve got a job.
danemichael
I had a nice collection of photos, magazine adds, movies and other Antonio stuff. Then he came out as an orange anus dropping and it all went into the trash. Glad he is getting what he deserves.
Kangol2
Given all the right-wingers in Hollywood, including drug addict Robert Downey Jr., Rob Schneider, Jon Voight, James Woods, and many others, I’m surprised none of them hooked their fellow con up. Why didn’t they help a fellow MAGAt? It sounds positively Randian!
baggins435
Gee, he supported Trump and it cost him. Ask Trump’s (former) staff members how his hero treated them just for disagreeing with him. Trump is the textbook definition of a vindictive, fair weather friend.
t
No precious, you were blacklisted AKA not given jobs in the acting industry because you were a shitty actor. The only thing you had going for you was your looks and I don’t feel the need to remind you the cliches about external beauty. Your acting “career” was over before the orange baboon reared its ugly head. Your support of tRump was just another very unfortunate aspect of someone who makes bad choices. Hope that helps you. Meanwhile, try to salvage what’s left of your overt beauty and make some construction porn. That’s what working people (now that you are part of the real people of the blue-collar workforce) call moonlighting to make some extra bucks. I’d be down for watching some of your contruction porn.
Ksjnyc1
Quick scan of his IMdb page and he has 3 projects in post production. Curious
Itsonlythetruth
Career, that’s funny. Your career consisted of you showing your body. You were the eye candy that’s it. You should have just kept your mouth shut and you would still have your “career”.
judysdad
Poor thing.
floughy
ETTD
scotty
“sometimes, you get what you deserve.”
jckfmsincty
A no talent who’s losing his looks. Bad combination.
winemaker
Sad to hear this about Antonio Sabato Jr. He’s in great shape for 47 but that being said, there are 3 things you don’t discuss and are off the table for discussion at work, they are:
Religion or religious views- To each his own and it really isn’t relevant at
work unless you work for a religious organization.
Politics – this story is a prime example of this. Your political views might be
different from co workers and management especially the ones signing your
paycheck and determining raises etc.
Home life – What you do off the clock is no business of your employer, ’nuff said.
These caveats were passed down from my parents to me when i went to work at 20 years old and for the most part have served me well. At work some people are nosy and want to know intimate details about your life that for the most part are none of their damned business. Tidbits of personal information could get back to higher ups, information you’d want kept confidential and sad to say in the work environment, backstabbers are everywhere, you really can’t trust anybody these days.
When asked to comment on politics, religion etc or on any controversial subject at work or wherever. a great response is: Gee (insert persons name here) that’s a great question, but iv’e been so busy i haven’t had time to think about it, sorry. Works every time!
Den
According to IMDb he has been working steadily and has two things in post production. As recently as 2018 he wrote, directed and stared in things. And he has been moaning about being blacklisted for his political views in Variety, USA Today and People.
I suspect he simply has not had a good project, lived way beyond his means and is paying alimony to two ex wives.
But as mentioned above, right wingers never seem to take the personal responsibility they insist others lack. So it would never be his own fault.
cwaigy
I love him as an actor. Still trying to find Earth 2 on BlueRay (to play on Australian systems! I love his work and have since his appearance in the Janet Jackson video. He deserves better treatment by Hollywood.
nm4047
try Amazon & also buy an international player, problem solve, now just need to work on the love him as an ‘actor’
cjc1414
?? finally a person with a brain!!!!
woodroad34
If that’s true, then Tom Sellick and Bruce Willis better look out.
Cam
His career was over, but now he’s doing what Republicans always do. Crying and playing victim.
And media needs to stop writing these stories from the bigots point of view. He didn’t just “Support Trump”, he was a major birther conspiracy theorist and was pushing all of that crap for ages.
dre23222
First off you career was done before endorsing Donald Trump. Second Why don’t you ask the man who you support for help? He got so much money according to him but won’t help those in need like yourself? That’s because he’s a money hungry selfish person like you.
cjc1414
You don’t know shit about POTUS Trump so keep your uninformed comments to yourself LOSER!!
Clamzilla
Shouldn’t the article include “alleged” before the word “actor”?
cjc1414
Another STUPID reply!!
nm4047
It was his choice to support Trump, but can’t say that his ‘career’ took nose dive because of said support. If it wasn’t for Janet Jackson he would never have even made it to the Klein role. Nothing usual about a pretty face getting old and not getting any gigs. It’s the standard thing for women in any industry.
jesse davis
I think that this whole thing is superficial. At least he has a steady job now. Hollywood consumes people then regurgitates them when their looks fade. Trying to feel bad for dude, aging sucks, but POLITICS are not what we wanna hear from “pretty boys”/has-beens. He’s stupid as f. I was never a fan, my mom was though! Anyways, dump trump and all his supporters, or else.
cjc1414
You’re the dumb asshole!!
cjc1414
So much gay hate!! I have known the entire Trump family since 1980 and I’m with Antonio 100%. God help America had CORRUPT Hillary been elected. Prepare yourselves for 4 more years of POTUS Trump, the Democrats don’t stand a chance with possibilities like Biden who doesn’t even know he’s alive and Socialist garbage like Bernie!! Get used to POTUS Trump, he will be America’s POTUS for 4 more years, thank God!!!!
The big sky
Stop it please, I’m laughing so much it hurts.
Joe Dalmas
“It’s mind-blowing. It’s a disgrace. It’s tough, because if you’re in that environment in Hollywood and you have something to say that they don’t like, they’re going to let you know.”
As they would in any other work environment. Fit in or get lost.
butchqueen
My heart bleeds for him.
Cambriaguy
Sabato can not act the awful things he did appear in were made worse by him being in them. He wants to support Trump that is sad for him. Trump lost the Election in 2020 but Sabato’s Hollywood Career ended long before that.!