Hollywood Icon’s Facebook Page Hijacked to Spread Disinformation About Activist’s Death
The official Facebook page of renowned actor Billy Dee Williams, best known for his portrayal of Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars saga, fell victim to a malicious hacking incident, becoming a conduit for right-wing propaganda and disinformation surrounding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. For three days, the page, typically a quiet corner of the internet, became a hub of inflammatory posts, reaching millions of unsuspecting users and disseminating false information about the circumstances of Kirk’s demise.
The barrage of posts, numbering 66 over the three-day period, fixated on Kirk’s death, drawing parallels to historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and even Jesus Christ. These posts garnered over 70,000 shares and a staggering 1.6 million likes and reactions, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of the disinformation campaign. The abrupt shift in activity on Williams’ page, from infrequent posts to a deluge of politically charged content, first raised red flags when a seemingly out-of-place “May the Fourth be with you” message appeared in September, prompting a confused fan to point out the discrepancy in timing.
The disinformation campaign extended beyond U.S. borders, ensnaring right-wing influencers and personalities in Canada, including a senior advisor to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who shared or interacted with the fabricated posts. The spread of misinformation highlighted the vulnerability of social media platforms and the potential for malicious actors to exploit the trust users place in verified accounts. The incident also underscored the speed at which disinformation can propagate across international borders and infiltrate various online communities.
Williams’ management team swiftly confirmed the hacking incident, emphasizing that the posts did not reflect the actor’s views or affiliations. They reported the breach to Facebook and worked diligently to regain control of the compromised account. However, despite being notified of the hack as early as September 11th, Facebook took three days to remove the inflammatory content, raising concerns about the platform’s responsiveness to such incidents. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, did not respond to requests for comment.
The posts on Williams’ page contained a mixture of false and fabricated information, including the incorrect name of the alleged shooter while the investigation was still ongoing. A fabricated screenshot of a non-existent tweet, attributed to Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, lamented Kirk’s death and predicted the return of Jesus Christ, further fueling the religious undertones present in many of the fake messages. Another post misrepresented Christian nationalist musician Sean Freucht, claiming he had witnessed thousands converting to Christianity in response to Kirk’s death.
A deeper examination revealed that many of the messages on Williams’ hacked page were directly copied from posts originating on Kirk’s “Turning Point” channels and the affiliated “Students for Trump” group. One post mirrored a statement by Students for Trump national chairman Ryan Fournier, suggesting Williams was personally tracking those who celebrated Kirk’s death and threatening to get them fired. This troubling mimicry underscored the coordinated nature of the disinformation campaign and the deliberate attempt to leverage Williams’ established online presence to amplify extremist messaging. Throughout the ordeal, the compromised Facebook page remained unresponsive to inquiries from PressProgress, further confirming the fraudulent nature of the activity. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of critical thinking and media literacy in the age of rampant online disinformation.