In late 2022, notable celebrities like Pedro Pascal, Ashley Johnson, and others deactivated their Twitter accounts following Elon Musk’s tumultuous takeover. This mass exodus highlighted growing disillusionment with the platform under its new owner.
This in-depth guide examines the celebrity departures from Twitter, analyzing why stars like Pascal fled the chaos and what it signifies for the embattled platform.
Table of Contents
Pedro Pascal – The Mandalorian Star Who Bid Farewell
In November 2022, Pedro Pascal – best known for playing the titular role in Disney+’s The Mandalorian – abruptly deleted his verified Twitter account with over 271k followers. Here is the context behind the move:
- Pascal has been an active Twitter user since 2019, engaging with fans and promoting his projects.
- His account deletion came right after Musk took over Twitter in a contentious $44 billion acquisition.
- Musk immediately shook things up with mass layoffs, content moderation concerns, and controversial features like a $8 verification fee.
- These rapid changes under Musk’s helm raised fears over Twitter’s direction and stability.
- Pascal likely deactivated due to displeasure with Musk’s takeover based on the suspicious timing.
- Other celebs like Shonda Rhimes and Toni Braxton also deleted accounts after the acquisition.
- Pascal joined the #TwitterMigration movement fleeing to platforms like Mastodon.
By ditching Twitter at the height of Musk-led turmoil, Pascal amplified concerns about the platform’s unhealthy work culture and content oversight.
Also read: Elon Musk Fires Twitter Staff on Joe Rogan
Ashley Johnson – Ellie from The Last of Us Leaves Too
Actor Ashley Johnson, beloved for playing Ellie in The Last of Us games, also deleted her Twitter account @TheVulcanSalute in November 2022 shortly after Musk’s takeover:
- Johnson had over 269k Twitter followers and regularly interacted with gamers and fans.
- She likely fled due to the same factors as Pascal – unhappiness with Musk’s changes.
- The high-profile departure of Johnson coincided with other celebs like Sara Bareilles and Téa Leoni leaving.
- Musk’s hands-off approach to content moderation raised concerns for female stars like Johnson over hate and harassment.
- Johnson also collaborated with Pascal in The Mandalorian, suggesting a shared wariness of stickier.
- The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann expressed disappointment over Johnson exiting Twitter.
The loss of popular celebs like Johnson amplified the growing distrust in Twitter and signaled Musk was alienating influential users crucial to the platform.
Alos read: Elon Musk Fires Twitter Staff on Joe Rogan
Explaining the Celebrity Mass Exodus Under Musk
Beyond Pascal and Johnson, Musk’s takeover triggered an exodus of notable celebrities. What drove this?
- Toxic culture – Stars were appalled by reports of how Musk mistreated employees, including mass layoffs.
- Content oversight – Musk’s lax stance toward hate speech and misinformation worried celebrities.
- Bad business – Stars lost faith in Twitter as advertisers pulled back and the platform faltered.
- Empathy for workers – Some exited in solidarity with laid-off employees.
- Ideological dislike of Musk – Liberal celebs clashed with Musk’s libertarian vision.
- Seeking less toxic pastures – Alternatives like Mastodon offered less abusive communities.
- Taking a stand – Deactivating accounts sent a message of dissent towards Musk’s changes.
The celebrity departures highlighted growing unrest among influential Twitter users over its cultural direction – accelerating Musk’s PR crisis.
Notable Celebrities Who Fled Twitter Under Elon
Beyond Pascal and Johnson, many A-list stars deactivated their Twitter accounts protesting Musk’s management. Some of the prominent exits:
- Toni Braxton (Singer)
- Gigi Hadid (Model)
- Sara Bareilles (Singer/Songwriter)
- Tea Leoni (Actress)
- Trent Reznor (Musician)
- Téa Leoni (Actress)
- Jim Carrey (Actor/Comedian)
- Shonda Rhimes (Producer/Writer)
- Alex Winter (Actor/Director)
These and countless other creators abandoning Twitter demonstrated the platform’s diminishing appeal under Musk’s unpredictable leadership. Their mass departure threatened Twitter’s celebrity user base.
Also read: Community Notes Challenge Major Brand Ads on Platform X
Mastodon – The Ethical Twitter Alternative Gaining Traction
As celebrities exited Twitter in droves, many flocked to Mastodon – a decentralized, open-source rival social network. Key reasons for the migration:
- Creator-owned – Mastodon is owned by its users, not a single billionaire.
- Fewer bots/trolls – Smaller communities reduce spam and abuse issues.
- User privacy – No advertising tracking or data mining of users.
- Transparency – Open-source code enables trust and accountability.
- User autonomy – Customizable experience with options like algorithm-free timelines.
- Content moderation – Robust moderation policies curb bigotry, misinformation, and harassment.
With its ethical design prioritizing user welfare over profit, Mastodon emerged as the anti-Twitter for disillusioned celebrities. Its growth highlights the demand for less toxic social media alternatives.
Also read: Twitter May Remove News Headlines in Push for Direct Publishing
The Significance of Losing Celebrities and Influencers
The departure of celebrities like Pascal carries deep significance for Twitter’s future:
- Removes influential, power users who drive conversation and engagement.
- Shrinks the aspirational appeal for ordinary users to be on the platform.
- Alienates ad partners who rely on celebrity influencer marketing.
- Reinforces Twitter’s diminishing reputation under Musk.
- Shows that no users, no matter how prominent, are obliged to stay if unhappy.
- Warns that other unsatisfied groups like marginalized communities may also abandon Twitter.
Losing celebrity influencers weakens Twitter’s value, threatens its advertising model, and reduces its cultural currency – exacerbating Musk’s precarious position.
Will the Celebrity Exodus Force Twitter’s Hand?
As celebrities keep abandoning Twitter, it may eventually force Musk to change course to stem the damage. Potential outcomes include:
- Improving content moderation to reassure disaffected stars.
- Rolling back unpopular features like $8 verification that drove users away.
- Rebuilding advertiser confidence by improving brand safety measures.
- Tempering Musk’s unilateral control and involving community input.
- Investing more into user experience to retain diverse audiences.
- Strengthening platform governance through accountability and transparency.
Unless addressed, the celebrity-driven user exodus may deal Twitter a fatal blow. The stakes are high for Musk to avoid plateauing into an also-ran social network bereft of cultural significance.
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale for the Social Media Industry
The stunning flight of celebrities like Pedro Pascal after Elon Musk’s chaotic Twitter takeover is a microcosm of the platform’s larger reputational decline. Once a hotbed of cultural discourse, Twitter faces growing irrelevance as society’s most powerful voices vote with their feet.
Yet their exodus also highlights social media’s responsibility to create hospitable spaces for public figures just as much as regular users. When billionaires like Musk prioritize profits over people, it breeds distrust.
This debacle offers a valuable lesson to Silicon Valley: no one demographic, even celebrities, can be taken for granted. If social platforms wish to remain impactful in Web3, they must see every user as equal and irreplaceable. The platforms that remember this most may win in the future.
