Danny Trejo Says He Was Unfamiliar with Ben Shapiro and Is Contractually Restricted from Criticizing Film

Danny Trejo's son Gilbert posted on Instagram that his father was unaware of conservative commentator Ben Shapiro when he began shooting the Daily Wire-produced film "Pawn Shop." Gilbert said the cast learned of Shapiro's involvement about two weeks into production and that Trejo had to be briefed on Shapiro's public profile.

"He has never heard of Ben Shapiro. I had to explain to him who that is, and what kind of guy he is," Gilbert wrote.

Gilbert added that Trejo's contract prevents him from criticizing Shapiro or the film and that walking away could result in a breach-of-contract lawsuit. The actor's earlier comments to media outlets emphasized his support for the Mexican community and immigrants, while denying any pro-ICE stance.

The film's agent described the project as a "complicated story about a complicated time, where everyone looks bad except you, the hardworking Mexican shop owner who just wants peace," and Trejo reportedly accepted the role of a sympathetic shop owner. The movie's logline depicts a scenario in which an ICE officer is pursued after a riot in Minneapolis, leading to a standoff inside a pawn shop.

Gilbert expressed frustration that the controversy had led to public backlash against his father without full context, and he characterized the situation as unfair to Trejo.