Hollywood stars back Clinton 2016 bid

Hollywood stars have chorused support for Hillary Clinton's US presidential campaign, indicating Tinseltown will be firmly behind the former first lady as she targets the White House.

Within hours of Clinton confirming her plans to stand in 2016, celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Scarlett Johansson and Magic Johnson gave a stamp of approval to her bid to become the first female commander-in-chief.

"I'm very excited by the news," singer Jennifer Lopez was quoted as saying by Eonline at Sunday's MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles. "I think it's time for a woman (president)" she added.

Basketball legend Johnson, a staunch Democrat, meanwhile took to Twitter to give his support.

"I feel @HillaryClinton will be a great President for the American people and she will make sure that everyone has a voice!" Johnson said.

"@HillaryClinton will fight for the poor, middle class and embrace young people!"

Actress Johansson meanwhile suggested Clinton would be battle-hardened and more prepared for a second tilt at the White House following her bruising battle with Barack Obama for the Democratic ticket in 2008.

"It's very exciting to see Hillary," Johansson said.
"Now is the right time. She needed to get through what she did to get to this point to run again. Now she's ready for it.

"I think she's a very good politician," Johansson told an Access Hollywood reporter at Sunday's MTV Movie Awards.

Lena Dunham, creator and star of HBO's hit series "Girls" posted an image of Clinton on Instagram scrutinizing a cellphone.

"This is Hillary reading a text from me that says 'with you every step of the way, gurl' #mypresident," Dunham wrote above the photo.

Actress America Ferrera, best known as the star of the sitcom "Ugly Betty" posted a picture on Twitter of her campaigning for Clinton in 2008. "I believed in her then, I believe in her now. @HillaryClinton #mypresident," she added.  

Uzo Aduba, one of the stars of award-winning Netflix series "Orange is the New Black," opted for a one-word message of support, with a Twitter message reading simply: "Hillary."
Singer-songwriter Carole King was similarly sparing in a tweeted message, responding to Clinton's announcement with the reply: "I'm in."

While support of Hollywood and entertainment industry power players are an important source of campaign fundraising, surveys have shown that the backing of celebrities holds little sway over the the way Americans vote.

A 2012 poll for CBS News and Vanity Fair reported that 89 percent of respondents said the celebrity endorsement of a particular candidate made no difference to them when it came to voting.