Fred Savage: Here's why I wasn't part of The Princess Bride fundraiser
Social media focused on the actor's political leanings, but he says family comes first.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Many members of the cast of 1987 fantasy comedy film The Princess Bride reunited virtually on Sunday night in a Zoom fundraiser for Wisconsin Democrats. More than 110,000 people donated at least $1 each to watch cast members read through the script, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. But one key member of the Princess Bride family, star Fred Savage, was missing -- and he's now explained why.
Savage played the key role of the unnamed "grandson" in the film, with actor Peter Falk telling him the story that becomes the film. During Sunday's fundraiser, Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard read Savage's lines. That sent social media users off on a wild guessing game as to why Savage wasn't involved, with some speculating about his political leanings and others wondering if he had died.
"The entire internet playing 'Fred Savage: Dead or Republican?' (right now)," wrote one Twitter user.
Lol the entire internet playing “Fred Savage: Dead or Republican?” rn 😂😂😂 #PrincessBrideReunion
— Sabrina Carmichael (@MsSabrinaEileen) September 13, 2020
The speculation was surely fueled in part by director Rob Reiner stating that all cast members who were still alive were participating. But Savage, 44, isn't dead, and he confirmed that in a Monday Instagram post.
Savage posted a childhood photo of himself with his younger brother, actor Ben Savage, writing, "Wanna feel old?? My baby brother is 40!! Had so much fun celebrating with him last night! ...and while I'm always proud to be part of the Princess Bride family, sometimes real-life family comes first."
Next up for Savage: He'll direct a reboot of his famed sitcom, The Wonder Years, which will focus on a Black family.
