In a refreshing defection from the ranks of his celebrity peers, Academy Award-winning actor Michael Caine revealed in an interview published Thursday that he voted for Brexit last year.

The celebrated film icon issued an eloquent defense of his decision, telling Sky News he voted for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union because he would "rather be a poor master than a rich servant."

"It wasn't about the racism, immigrants or anything," Caine explained, "it was about freedom."

Caine, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2000, is confident any "chaos" will eventually be straightened out, observing, "In politics you're always going into areas you've never been before, so you're going to get lost and then you're going to find your way, and then it'll be alright."

The actor's take on Brexit strikes a sharply different note from his contemporaries in show business, many of whom took to social media in the aftermath of the referendum to "[share] messages of sorrow, support and commiseration" last June.

Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.