Key Takeaways
- Gilbert Trejo defended his father Danny, alleging that the Daily Wire joined Pawn Shop two weeks into filming and changed its story to reflect the company’s political messaging.
- Gilbert said Danny’s contract prevents him from criticizing or quitting the film without legal risk, stressing that the 82-year-old is “very much a working actor” who remains committed to the Latino community.
- Danny has publicly said he is “pro-immigrant” and “not pro ICE,” while the Michael Polish-directed film—also starring Harvey Keitel and Henry Thomas—is scheduled for 2027.
Gilbert Trejo says his father signed up for an action movie—not a political firestorm. Now, the filmmaker is standing by his explosive Instagram statement about Danny Trejo's involvement in Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire production Pawn Shop, alleging that the movie's political direction changed after cameras were already rolling.
In a new interview with The Independent, Gilbert claimed the 82-year-old actor was already two weeks into filming when Shapiro's company became involved. By that point, Danny had completed enough work that walking away could have jeopardized the entire production.
"My dad can't really come out and say how he feels about any of this in any real way," Gilbert told the outlet Wednesday, October 14.
And according to Gilbert, his father wasn't the only person caught off guard. The 38-year-old director alleged that a "substantial" number of cast and crew members were unaware that the screenplay would be changed to reflect the Daily Wire's political messaging. He claimed several people walked off the set after those changes.
Gilbert also recalled sitting beside Danny when his agent called to explain the role.
"You're the good guy in this movie," the agent reportedly told Danny. "There are protesters, they're clashing with these guys and you're just trying to protect your store and bring peace to everyone."
But Pawn Shop now centers on an ICE officer seeking shelter inside Danny's character's pawn shop amid unrest following the fatal shooting of Renée Good in Minneapolis. The Michael Polish-directed movie, which also stars Harvey Keitel and Henry Thomas, is scheduled for release in 2027.
"My 82-year-old dad has never heard of Ben Shapiro, I had to explain to him who that is, and what kind of guy he is," Gilbert wrote in the original statement.
He also alleged that his father's contract prevented him from criticizing Shapiro or the film, or leaving the project without risking a lawsuit.
"He's handcuffed to this stupid project, and swaths of people have instantly turned their backs on him without knowing any of the facts," Gilbert wrote.
Gilbert maintains that his father cannot fully address the controversy himself because of those contractual restrictions.
He also addressed a complication in his account: Danny previously worked with the Daily Wire on the 2024 animated series Mr. Birchum. Gilbert said the voice-acting appearance came through his father's decades-long relationship with creator Adam Carolla, not because Danny was familiar with the company's politics.
"He's not online," Gilbert explained, adding that his father used a flip phone until approximately a year ago.
Danny, however, has publicly rejected the suggestion that appearing in the movie reflects his views on immigration.
The controversy has also followed Pawn Shop offscreen. Production in Livingston, Montana, was temporarily suspended after residents complained about simulated gunfire and other disruptions. Filming later resumed under additional restrictions.
Meanwhile, Gilbert also pushed back against critics who believe Danny should simply quit the project, regardless of the consequences.
"People don't know what goes into these contracts," he said, describing his father as a working actor who isn't as financially secure as some assume.
"He's very much a working actor," Gilbert added. "He works for a living."
But the criticism has also struck a more personal nerve.
Gilbert described his father as frequently being "the only Mexican guy in the room," saying the suggestion that Danny has abandoned the Latino community has been especially painful.
"The idea that he doesn't stand with or stand for his community is heartbreaking and depressing," he said.
