‘Don’t lose sight of the Lord,’ he said
Former child actor Ricky Schroder, known for his roles in “Silver Spoons” and “The Champ,” has announced the establishment of the Reel American Heroes Foundation. The nonprofit organization aims to tell the stories of active soldiers, first responders, Gold Star families, and other heroic figures. Schroder stated that his motivation to found the foundation came after the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences unveiled its new diversity and inclusion guidelines for Oscars consideration in 2024.
A response to Hollywood’s diversity guidelines
Schroder expressed his discontent with the Academy’s Aperture 2025 initiative, which requires filmmakers to submit information about the race, gender, sexual orientation, and disability status of their cast and crew members. In his opinion, these guidelines restrict creative freedom and unfairly prioritize certain themes and characters. This prompted him to create a foundation that focuses on producing stories with values and principles that uplift America rather than tear it down.
Reel American Heroes Foundation’s mission
The Reel American Heroes Foundation plans to produce a mix of scripted, dramatic films and documentaries. The organization has already released two projects on its website. Additionally, they have established the Council on Pornography Reform (CPR) to advocate for comprehensive changes in the realm of explicit adult content. Schroder revealed that the foundation is currently working on a documentary titled “Erotic Erosion” to address the effects of internet pornography on society. They also aim to move adult content back into a dedicated domain to facilitate better control and protection, particularly for minors.
Celebrating Hollywood achievements
Despite his reservations about the entertainment industry, Schroder expressed pride in some of his Hollywood projects, including “NYPD Blue,” “Lonesome Dove,” “The Lost Battalion,” and his directorial debut, “Black Cloud.” He fondly recalled the experience of working on “NYPD Blue” and praised the writing of David Milch, citing it as a valuable learning opportunity.
Looking ahead
The Reel American Heroes Foundation is inviting submissions of real-life heroes’ stories for future projects. Schroder hopes to feature these stories to shift the focus away from diversity and inclusion programming (DEI) and toward the principles and values that he believes built the nation.
In conclusion, Ricky Schroder’s new foundation aims to counter Hollywood’s diversity guidelines by producing films that uphold American values and principles. Despite his mixed feelings about the industry, Schroder remains proud of certain projects from his career and looks forward to telling stories that inspire, raise awareness, entertain, and educate.
