Why Morgan Freeman is permanently banned from visiting Russia

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film CriticThe striking if not really shocking success of “Top Gun: Maverick” is built around the simple fact that it’s an exquisitely executed blockbuster. It seems to have everything a commercial retro action movie would need: a prime movie star — one of the only ones left — who still knows how to fold a movie around his image; jaw-dropping aerial-combat sequences that blow away any hint of green-screen fakery (because those are real actors lifting off and flying); the kind of ’80s nostalgia that, at this point, is almost too potent to call mere nostalgia — it’s more like nostalgia for nostalgia; a story just good enough to pluck every carefully planted heartstring of authority-figure-vs.-cocky-upstart, Tom Cruise-is-old-but-still-master-of-the-game resonance; plus the haunting presence of Val Kilmer (though it would have been even better if they’d let him speak in his own damaged voice).

Rob Reiner is responding to the news he’s banned from Russia by President Vladimir Putin.

Rob Reiner has offered a satirical response to being banned from Russia by Putin.

Because the Kremlin apparently has no other pressing issues at the moment, more than 960 Americans have been “permanently banned”  from entering Russia. The list includes such seeming no-brainers as Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton, but there’s no shortage of eyebrow-raising names as well.

Over the weekend, Russia released a lengthy list of people who are indefinitely banned from entering the country’s borders.

CNN, the Oscar-winning actor narrated the promotional video for an organisation named The Committee to Investigate Russia. It was directed by When Harry Met Sally director Rob Reiner, who has also been added to the Kremlin’s list.“We emphasise that the hostile actions taken by Washington, which boomerang against the United States itself, will continue to receive a proper rebuff,” the Russian foreign ministry said [via ITV News].“Russian counter-sanctions are forced and aimed at forcing the ruling American regime… to change its behaviour, recognising new geopolitical realities.”Russia previously banned US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris from entering the country.Freeman has yet to comment publicly on the move.In other news, the actor spoke out last year against the ongoing call to defund the police, saying that he is “not the least bit for” the movement.The actor was asked for his thoughts on police abolition during an interview, in light of protests against racially motivated police brutality.“Police work is, aside from all the negativity around it, it is very necessary for us to have them and most of them are guys that are doing their job,” Freeman told Selina Hill on Black Enterprise last October.Meanwhile, Russian DJ Nina Kraviz has responded to being dropped from Clone Distribution over her alleged “pro-Putin” views.

document, published by official authorities on Saturday, was accompanied by a statement from the ministry saying the reason behind the list was “anti-Russian sanctions” and is likely directed at people who have spoken out against the country in the past. Rep.