Jim Caviezel speaks out over “Sound of Freedom” QAnon allegations

Actor Jim Caviezel has defended the film Sound of Freedom, in which he has a lead role, amid criticism it is linked to the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory.

In a July 11 edition of The Charlie Kirk Show, hosted by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, Caviezel addressed claims that he and the Sound of Freedom were “QAnon adjacent.”

The film is based on the story of Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard and tells the story of the fight against child sex trafficking, primarily in the Western Hemisphere.

Ballard has distanced the movie from any ties to QAnon, branding such allegations as “sick.”

Caviezel said he was unaware of the QAnon conspiracy theory while the movie was being filmed in 2018 and added the film was unrelated to it.

But during the podcast, Caviezel compared people who believe in the theory to Christians persecuted by the Pharisees—an ancient Jewish group mentioned in the Bible.

Caviezel correctly stated there had been ties between the KKK and members of Congress but erroneously stated Congressmen had not gone after them or Nazis “only the QAnon.”

He added: “Now, by way of analogy, if I were the apostle Saul (Paul) and I’m a Pharisee, I’m going to go after the Christians and take them down. Now, let’s remove Christians and make it QAnon, I’m going to destroy them because the Romans told me they are evil.

“I’m going to destroy them because my own church staff, my fellow Pharisees said evil—Well, I’m going to take them out.”

Caviezel then repeated a common QAnon assertion that there is no such thing as QAnon, just “Q” and “anons”—a phrase used by the conspiracists to deflect from people it supports who deny ties to the movement.

The “Q” refers to an individual who claimed to be inside the government and made numerous false claims that politicians were directly involved in a satanic global pedophile ring.

At several points “Q” made predictions online that did not happen, including that Hilary Clinton would be arrested and that Democrats would be arrested and executed on the orders of former President Donald Trump on President Joe Biden‘s inauguration day.

QAnon expert Mike Rothschild told Newsweek that Caviezel’s statements during the interview are what followers of the conspiracy would say and that the movement has seen a recent resurgence.

He said: “Caviezel’s comment is 100 percent what a Q believer would say, the cliche of ‘there is no QAnon only anons’ is a constant comment of people in the movement, a way to convince outsiders you aren’t part of Q while being part of Q.

“Believers are invested in the movie because they see it as a way to fight back against both the evildoers behind the supposed trafficking and the liberal machine that protects them. They don’t have any problem with both hating Hollywood and supporting it through ticket sales.

“I definitely think there’s a resurgence of both talking about Q and right-wing thought leaders disavowing it.”

Caviezel told Kirk: “Then you find out it’s not QAnon, there’s Q and anons. And Q puts out a question and you are not allowed to ask questions anymore—not allowed to—and the anons, they look it all up and they start looking and investigating that stuff.”

Caviezel continued: “I never knew about them while I was doing this movie Sound of Freedom, it has nothing to do with our film.

“But it’s really interesting that they pointed to this immediately and said ‘That guy’s one of them, he’s bad.'”

During the podcast, Caviezel also spoke about adrenochrome—a chemical compound produced by the oxidation of adrenaline.

Caviezel said adrenochrome, in its natural form, is produced by torturing children. This is supposed to increase their adrenaline levels and is carried out before their adrenaline is extracted.

At no point during the discussion did Kirk challenge Caviezel on any of his claims about QAnon or adrenochrome.

The baseless adrenochrome conspiracy theory shared among conspiracists, including QAnon followers, states that the substance is used by elites to extend their lives.

According to scientist Dr. Joe Schwarcz of McGill University in Montreal, Canada: “Adrenochrome, which has no rejuvenating effects, and very questionable psychedelic properties, would have long faded into obscurity had it not been rejuvenated by the QAnon twaddle.”

Schwarcz said in the 2022 post shared on the university’s website that QAnon followers were “regurgitating” the baseless blood libel motif of Christian children being kidnapped by Jews “the difference being that the ‘extraction of adrenochrome’ for its rejuvenating and psychedelic effects is now described as the motive for the kidnapping of children.”

Caviezel has previously flirted with the QAnon conspiracy theory and in 2021 attended a convention hosted by followers of the online movement in Las Vegas.

While there, Caveizel gave a 20-minute speech that mentioned child sex trafficking. Also in attendance was Ron Watkins, who has been accused of, at one time, being behind the “Q” persona.

Update 7/12/23, 9:13 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Mike Rothschild.