Actress Susan Sarandon praised a Democratic challenger to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s congressional seat, arguing that people have the chance to vote for someone willing to “speak up even when it’s not politically expedient.”

Sarandon made what looked at least like a tacit endorsement in response to Pelosi’s reaction to allegations against presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, where she effectively dismissed the claims made by his former Senate staffer Tara Reade that he sexually assaulted her back in 1993.

“I have complete respect for the whole #MeToo movement,” Pelosi said at a press conference on Thursday. “There’s also due process, the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden. There have been statements from former employees around his office that there was never any record of this … I am so proud, the happiest day for me this week was to support Joe Biden for president of the United States.”

Sarandon urged people to check out the campaign of Pelosi’s primary challenger, self-described “democratic socialist” Shahid Buttar.

“In November, San Francisco has the opportunity to vote for someone willing to speak up even when it’s not politically expedient,” the Thelma & Louise star said. “Check out @ShahidForChange.”

The remark illustrates the growing divide between the likes of Sarandon, who supported Bernie Sanders’s unsuccessful bid to be the presidential nominee, and the Democratic establishment, who in their steadfast support for Biden are refusing to countenance the possibility that he engaged in past sexual misconduct.

Other prominent celebrities, including Rose McGowan and comedian Sarah Silverman, have also broken ranks with the Democratic establishment, accusing them of failing to live up to standards set by the #MeToo movement.

In an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Friday morning, Biden flat out denied any knowledge or involvement of Reade’s allegations, for which she has provided corroboration.

“It is not true. I’m saying unequivocally it never, never happened and it didn’t,” he said when asked about the affair. “I don’t remember any type of complaint she may have made. It was 27 years ago. And I don’t remember, nor does anyone else that I’m aware of. The fact is that I don’t remember. I don’t remember any complaint ever having been made.”

Follow Ben Kew on Facebook, Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.