The Princess Bride actor Cary Elwes encourages mask-wearing using an iconic line from the movie. The actor starred as Westley, the farm boy, in the classic 1987 fantasy adventure film by Rob Reiner. Elwes is one of many actors to use social media to encourage fans to wear masks and practice social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Other actors have used their own movies to encourages safety practices during the pandemic. Bill Pullman starred as his Independence Day character in a COVID-19 PSA video to remind fans to wear masks, and Jack Black brought back his Nacho Libre character in an Instagram video to also encourage mask-wearing. Now, Elwes has found his own way to help spread this important message.
In a tweet, Elwes added his own twist on a memorable line from The Princess Bride to encourage people to wear masks. Though the line was spoken by Mandy Patinkin's Inigo Montoya in the film, the tweet immediately gained traction. One user said the tweet was fear-mongering, to which Elwes replied, "Hopefully." To further emphasize his point, Elwes changed his Twitter avatar to an edited photo of his Dread Pirate Roberts character wearing a mask. Elwes' original tweet can be seen below:
Elwes' The Princess Bride tweet isn't the only time the film has been recognized during the pandemic. As part of a benefit to combat global hunger, an all-star cast recreated The Princess Bride for Quibi, shooting only with their phones. The remake is led by director Jason Reitman and features stars such as Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner, Taika Waititi, Jon Hamm, Hugh Jackman, and Jennifer Garner. The cast members recreated fan-favorite scenes at each of their homes using their own props and the movie is currently streaming on Quibi.
As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, it's important to remember the simple acts everyday people can do to help combat the virus: washing your hands, keeping six feet apart, and of course, wearing a mask. Given that misinformation about COVID-19 remains prevalent, it's also good to see public figures like Elwes using their platform to spread this potentially life-saving message. It's just the kind of wittily delivered plea fans of The Princess Bride would expect from Westley, even if he's quoting another character's most memorable line to make his point.
Source: Cary Elwes/Twitter