New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a star-studded ad campaign on Thursday called “Mask Up America,” which encourages everyone to keep wearing their masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the eight national TV public service announcements feature Robert De Niro, Kaitlyn Dever, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman, John Leguizamo, Anthony Mackie, Rosie Perez, Ellen Pompeo and Jeffrey Wright.
The first spot, titled “You Have My Respect,” features Freeman praising people for wearing their masks.
“I may never have met you, we don’t go way back,” Freeman says as close-up shots of people wearing masks are shown. “Maybe we wouldn’t even be friends if we did, but when you wear a mask, you have my respect. Because your mask doesn’t protect you, it protects me. I wear my mask to protect you. Be New York tough. Mask up America.”
MaskUpAmericapic.twitter.com/lLi7oE03mt
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 16, 2020
Back in May, Cuomo had Chris Rock and Perez join him during a press conference and announced they would be part of a PSA campaign in the works urging New Yorkers to wear face coverings, to get tested for the coronavirus when they can, and to practice social distancing to help continue to curb the spread of the virus.
Cuomo’s popularity has skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic due to his efforts to curb the pandemic in New York, his blunt press conferences and also his hilarious interactions with his younger brother, CNN’s Chris Cuomo. In May, 360aproko spoke to Chris’ 17-year-old daughter, Bella, who talked about the internet’s thirst for the Cuomo brothers.
“It’s kind of weird to open TikTok up and see people calling my family members hot,” she admitted. “Like, that’s a weird experience.”
