Natural Born Killers actor Woody Harrelson has landed himself in hot water for supporting a COVID-19 anti-vaccination conspiracy on live TV in the US.
The Cheers actor was hosting Saturday Night Live when he made a joke which seemed to echo his anti-vaccine views.
Promoting his upcoming movie Champions with director Bobby Farrelly with a monologue that talked about his love for drinking and drugs, the 61-year-old told the audience he'd read a script prior to the pandemic.
"So, the movie goes like this," said Harrelson.
"The biggest drug cartels in the world get together and buy up all the media and all the politicians and force all the people in the world to stay locked in their homes, and people can only come out if they take the cartel's drugs and keep taking them over and over."
There was no audience applause or reaction to Harrelson's comments, which came at the end of his six-minute monologue.
However, online the backlash was swift, with some calling the show irresponsible for allowing the monologue to air.
"What on earth was this anti-vax nonsense?" one commenter said.
"He's gone anti-vax, huh? Not the best way to sell me a movie," another said.
"With Woody Harrelson's monologue on SNL last night, the anti-vax stupidity in America just peaked," another exclaimed.
"Re Woody Harrelson and #SNL, whenever anyone spews anti-vax stupidity, I always think of the countless videos of traumatised/crying doctors, nurses and hospital workers who were climbing over bodies in Covid's early days," another said.
Harrelson's comments are in direct opposition to the New Zealand Ministry of Health's advice on COVID-19 vaccines.
It's not the first time Harrelson has shared conspiracy theories online, as he tweeted furiously during the opening days of the pandemic and also mocked mask mandates.
Harrelson and Saturday Night Live have yet to respond to the controversy.
