More than 170 Jewish figures from the entertainment industry, including faith leaders, writers, and creative professionals, have signed an open letter defending actor Mark Ruffalo against accusations of antisemitism. The signatories, who describe the allegations as a smear campaign
, argue that Ruffalo has been the victim of a false and dangerous weaponization of charges of antisemitism
according to a letter published by Variety.
The dispute began following an Aug. 21 social media post by Ruffalo, in which the actor criticized a $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). In the post, Ruffalo accused the Ellison family of being complicit in a genocide
against Palestinians, which he stated was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle
. He specifically highlighted the ties between Oracle and the Israeli military.
Paramount and Critics Respond
Paramount responded to Ruffalo’s comments by stating it was troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute
, according to The Guardian. A spokesperson for the company called Ruffalo’s remarks a bridge too far
. Additionally, the Creative Community for Peace and the Simon Wiesenthal Center condemned the actor’s statements.
Ruffalo’s original post included a clip of former Oracle CEO Safra Catz, who currently serves as executive vice-chair and is a board member for both Oracle and Paramount. In the video, Catz discussed profoundly scary technology
provided to Israel. A spokesperson for Catz clarified that the technology was intended for use in rescuing hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack
according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Jewish Creatives Defend Ruffalo
The open letter titled Enough!
was signed by a wide array of prominent Jewish figures, including:
- Joel Coen
- Tony Kushner
- Todd Haynes
- Miranda July
- Hannah Einbinder
- Ilana Glazer
- Wallace Shawn
- Naomi Klein
- James Schamus
The letter asserts that linking the assault on the Palestinian people with the assault on liberties at home is the very essence of Jewish ethical duty
and not antisemitism. Ilana Glazer stated that labeling Ruffalo as antisemitic for questioning a corporate merger is absurd
and a dangerous way to shut down legitimate criticism
.
Hannah Einbinder thanked Ruffalo for connecting the Ellisons’ provision of military technology to Israel with their unprecedented media takeover
.
Context of the Merger and Oracle Ties
The signatories and Ruffalo have raised concerns regarding the concentration of power resulting from the Paramount-WBD merger, which received Trump administration approval in June. The letter claims the merger will destroy thousands upon thousands of livelihoods
and further consolidate oligarchic control of our media
.
The defense of Ruffalo also highlights the specific influence of Larry Ellison, the Oracle founder. According to Literary Hub, Ellison is the largest donor in history to the nonprofit Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and has provided $350 million in funding and pledges to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
Additional Support and Dissent
The open letter further references a Washington Post poll indicating that 61% of American Jews agree Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza, with 40% agreeing those crimes amount to genocide.
