Actor Adam Brody, known for his role as Seth Cohen on the Fox series "The O.C" and most recently as Noah on "Nobody Wants This," hosted a student meet-and-greet on behalf of the Harris-Walz campaign in Madison on Sunday, where he spoke about Madison’s pivotal role in what he called “a historical election.”
The Wisconsin Democratic Party hosted the event to encourage University of Wisconsin-Madison students to vote early, backing Vice President Kamala Harris for the upcoming Presidential election. Following the event, Brody spoke privately with small groups of students about their hopes for the election’s outcome.
The Daily Cardinal spoke with Brody about why he thought Madison, specifically UW-Madison students, are important in this election, advice he’d give to first-time voters and what he’d take home as a keepsake from Wisconsin.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
How are you feeling about being in Madison?
Lovely, enthused, energized and comforted by seeing so many energetic, enthusiastic people who are passionate and hopeful.
Why do you think it is so important to talk to University of Wisconsin-Madison students specifically?
Well, starting wider and zooming in, Wisconsin is a swing state, and I think students in general, with good reason, tend to lean more Democratic. At the same time, I thought that the participation wasn't going to be as strong. So there's a lot of room there to grow, to activate, to motivate and also they seem to be the people that are interested in talking to me.
What would you say to students that are undecided about voting?
There’s a list of priorities, policies, positions and rights that I personally care about. Perhaps we share these values or outlooks in common or not — reproductive freedom, the climate crisis, the homelessness problem and the lack of housing, the gun violence epidemic, democracy abroad. These are all big issues. But I would say, regardless of how you feel about any of those…we have a man who’s close to being in office, who is a pathological liar, who’s surrounded by enablers and millions of people that he’s whipped into a frenzy.
I can’t highlight the danger of that enough, not just for all those priorities I just listed, but for keeping the lights on, for keeping the garbage trucks going, for staying out of a nuclear war. I mean, profound instability is mortally dangerous for every person on this planet.
I am not just encouraging you to vote. That’s a must, because we are in a historic time. We’re seven days away from making history. So vote and knock on some doors, because you will remember these moments for the rest of your life. It’s that historical. Whatever happens, you'll remember where you were and what you did, and you'll be proud to say that you did something.
To clarify, you’re urging young voters to vote based on facts, correct?
I’m urging people to vote based on facts, for people who build a consensus and are surrounded by experts and are not just following the whim of one man and his imagination and…not somebody who leads with division. I mean, Trump openly denigrates half of Americans and half of American cities all the time. That’s not a leader for this country. You gotta be president for everyone.
Celebrity endorsements can be powerful, so what would you say to students who are skeptical about the influence of celebrities in this election?
There’s no reason that somebody needs to listen to me more than their neighbor, you know? Perhaps I can command a bit more attention, but that doesn’t mean that my opinion is any more valuable or wise.
Looking back, what advice would you give to “young Adam Brody” when voting in a presidential election for the first time?
Oh…do the midterms first. Do your local [elections]. Because the thing is, everyone gets involved in the presidential race, and it has a lot of impact. But if you want to impact your life the most, it’s like, who’s on the school board, who’s your local judge? Do local. Do local. Do local.
Finally, if you could take one thing home from Madison, other than food, what would it be?
[Laughs] I mean…a pet cow? Other than food, I don’t know what kind of goodies you have…Oh, the Electoral College votes!
