In an interview published Wednesday, filmmaker Ron Howard revealed what he had texted Vice President J.D. Vance in 2024.
“I did one text, after the election, which was just sort of ‘Godspeed. Try to serve us well,’” Howard told Vulture.
Howard had worked closely with Vance during the filming of “Hillbilly Elegy,” a biopic released in 2020 about Vance’s troubled upbringing.
‘Eden’ Director Ron Howard has worked with everyone from Bette Davis to J.D. Vance. He has stories about all of them. https://t.co/UPV8G4QzRE
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) August 13, 2025
While working with Vance prior to 2020, Howard hadn’t anticipated the man would follow the political path that he did, he told Deadline in a September 2024 interview.
“Well, we didn’t talk a lot of politics when we were making the movie because I was interested in his upbringing and that survival tale. That’s what we mostly focused on,” Howard said.
“However, based on the conversations that we had during that time, I just have to say I’m very surprised and disappointed by much of the rhetoric that I’m reading and hearing,” he said.
Vance was at one point critical of President Donald Trump, even describing himself as a “Never Trump guy” during a 2016 interview with Charlie Rose.
During the interview with Vulture, Howard was asked if he could “reconcile” the Vance portrayed in the movie with the Vance of today.
Did you watch “Hillbilly Elegy”?
“Am I able to reconcile? Well, it’s happened, so I know what I’ve observed. It remains a bit of a surprise to me,” Howard said.
“I would not have seen it coming, and I wouldn’t have expected his rhetoric to be as divisive as it sometimes is. By the way, I’m not following him or listening to every word,” he added.
If you haven’t watched Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy yet, check it out. Regardless of which side you’re on, it’s a great feel good movie. Amy Adams and Glenn Close are on point!
Trailer pic.twitter.com/qjoKccerrm
— UseC⭕️mmonSense (@UseCommonSenses) January 23, 2025
The movie “Hillbilly Elegy” was based on Vance’s 2016 memoir of the same name.
When JD Vance Promoted His Book ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ In 2017 NBC Interview pic.twitter.com/QdE1sEubhu
— Slingshot News (@NewsSlingshot) August 26, 2024
Vance was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022.
Prior to being elected, Vance worked as a venture capitalist.
In 2024, Trump asked him to to serve as the vice presidential nominee for the Republican Party.
“Just overwhelmed with gratitude,” Vance wrote on July 16, 2024, on the social media platform X.
“What an honor it is to run alongside President Donald J. Trump. He delivered peace and prosperity once, and with your help, he’ll do it again. Onward to victory!” he wrote.
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