Elon Musk cancels his Netflix subscription, here's why

Elon Musk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed he cancelled his Netflix subscription after the streaming service employed Hamish Steele, a director who recently mocked the killing of political activist Charlie Kirk. Steele, creator of the animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park and DeadEndia, posted an expletive-laced message on Bluesky last month calling Kirk a “nazi” following his September 10 death.

The controversy intensified when clips from Steele’s Netflix show circulated on Musk-owned X, with critics claiming the children’s animation promoted anti-transphobic ideology. The backlash drew attention from parents and public figures, including former Department of Energy nuclear scientist Matt Van Swol, who publicly criticised Netflix for hosting Steele. Van Swol wrote that he had cancelled his subscription, accusing the streaming platform of supporting “pro-trans content” and celebrating Kirk’s murder.

“Just cancelled my Netflix subscription. If you employ someone who celebrated the murder of Charlie Kirk and makes content that pushes pro-trans content on my kids…you will NEVER get a dime of my money,” Van Swol said. Musk responded to the post with a simple “Same,” signalling that he had also ended his subscription.

Musk’s cancellation underscores his broader critical stance on transgender rights, particularly in relation to his own children. The Tesla CEO has previously linked transgender care to what he calls a “woke mind virus,” suggesting that his decision to leave Netflix was influenced both by Steele’s comments and the perceived content influence on young viewers. Netflix has not publicly responded to Musk’s cancellation.