Having an extra day off is great, and grilling out by the pool is always fun. But just as many of us do, there are a ton of celebrities around Hollywood taking a second to remind others of what Memorial Day is all about, and to honor the brave men and women who have served our country.
Memorial Day has always been set aside as a way to tip our hats, and show our respect, to those who have served in the US military. Whether they’ve fought in numerous wars, patched up those who have been wounded, or fixed computers, these men and women deserve to be recognized by the rest of us.
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There are many of these soldiers – active and retired – in our midst today. There are also many who never made it home, or who passed on long ago.
Take a minute, and thank those who have served our country this Memorial Day. These are some of Hollywood’s brightest stars who did the same.
The Biggest Names Honor The Biggest Heroes
No matter how big some stars get, they don’t lose touch with reality. They may be touring the world, releasing multiple movies each year, winning awards, etc., but these celebrities still want to honor those that make their dream lives possible.
As you’d guess, The Rock is one of these stars. Dwayne Johnson has always been a major advocate for those in the military.ย
During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, Johnson teamed up with Jimmy Fallon to reunite a woman with her husband who had been serving overseas.
Happy Memorial Day everyone. Thx to my good bud @jimmyfallon for helping make this special moment happen for our vets. https://t.co/BMEuMQMhI5
โ Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 29, 2017
The Rock isn’t the only big star to remember our heroes today. Justin Timberlakeย – arguably the biggest name in music – also has a tendency to shout out the heroes who are truly deserving of our attention.ย
Thinking of all the brave men and women and their families who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. God bless! #MemorialDay
โ Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) May 29, 2017
And let’s not forget the Terminator himself. Arnold Schwarzenegger, although not born in the US, has plenty to thank our brave men and women for.
There is never a day when I don’t think about the sacrifice & service of the brave men & women who made this country my dream. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/gPUVGvkNpf
โ Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 29, 2017
The Real Superheroes
Some of our biggest stars have gained their fame by portraying a fictional hero throughout geek culture. Whether they portray Captain America, the Flash’s soul mate, the world’s most famous Jedi, or Taserfaceย himself, these actors shine a light on the real heroes.
It’s no secret that Chris Evans is slowly becoming the real-life version of Captain America. Ever since taking on the role, he has continued to exemplify the traits of the fictional hero.ย
One of those very traits is honoring the men and women of the armed forces, and reminding the world that they are the heroes we should all be looking up to.
Thank you to all the courageous men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice defending what we stand for#HonorAndRemember #MemorialDay
โ Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) May 29, 2017
Mark Hamillย is widely recognized for his role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, a character that has spanned four decades. Even though space is his specialty, Hamillย has never lost sight of what’s truly important.
For your service & your sacrifice… #MemorialDay #HonorAndRemember pic.twitter.com/6LRSwvR2d9
โ Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) May 29, 2017
Candice Patton – who plays Iris West on The Flash – and Chris Sullivan – Taserfaceย from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – also took a moment to honor our country’s finest.
Freedom is never free.
โ Candice Patton (@candicekp) May 29, 2017
Thank you to those who have sacrificed so much to fight for it. #MemorialDay ??
#ThisIsUs LITERALLY supporting the troops! #USO #Memorial Day #ThankYouForYourService pic.twitter.com/GaUvdGL2jA
โ Chris Sullivan (@SullivanTweet) May 29, 2017
Sonequaย Martin-Green, of The Walking Dead and Star Trek: Discovery fame, made sure her followers didn’t forget what the day was about.
Katey Sagal & Sons of Anarchy
The fan-favorite motorcycle drama may be off the air, but many of its stars are still active in Hollywood today.
No matter how busy she may get, Katey Sagalย will always find time to honor those who have fought for the freedom she enjoys. The actress made a heartfelt post on Twitter this morning.
Remembering those who fought for our freedoms and lost their lives this #MemorialDay. pic.twitter.com/Y6APWr7r8o
โ Katey Sagal (@KateySagal) May 29, 2017
Along with Sagal, a few other SOA alum took to social media to pay tribute to our nation’s soldiers. Among them were Theo Rossiย (Juice), Kenny Johnson (Kozik), and Danny Trejoย (Romeo).
Take a moment today and THANK in your heart the Women and Men who selflessly defend OUR rights and Freedom on a daily basis. #MemorialDay
โ Theo Rossi (@Theorossi) May 29, 2017
Remembering what matters most #MemorialDay 2017 ?? pic.twitter.com/F8IqHa5ViY
โ Kenny Johnson (@TheKennyJohnson) May 29, 2017
Gone but never Forgotten ?? #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/Pw95E6SmNr
โ Danny Trejo (@officialDannyT) May 29, 2017
The Murph Challenge
Mike Murphy was a Navy Seal who was killed in battle in Afghanistan, back in 2005. You may recognize the name, as he was one of the four soldiers featured in the movie Lone Survivor, where he was played by Taylor Kitsch.
In honor of Murphy, and all of the other brave men and women in the armed forces, Forged.com issued the Murphย challenge. The work-out challenge consisted of running one mile, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats, followed by another one mile run.ย
Actors John Krasinskiย (Jim from The Office) and Chris Pratt (Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy) completed the challenge together for memorial day. They posted this video following their work-out, letting people know what the challenge is and what it means.
Today we remember and honor each of the brave men and women who gave their lives for us. #memorialday #murphchallenge @prattprattpratt pic.twitter.com/yeV9osGFMP
โ John Krasinski (@johnkrasinski) May 29, 2017
It’s also worth noting that both of these men have portrayed real-life military heroes on-screen. Pratt in Zero Dark Thirty, and Krasinskiย in 13 Hours.