Hannah Einbinder, star of the comedy series "Hacks," has publicly defended actor Mark Ruffalo after Paramount labeled his comments regarding the proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery as antisemitic. Einbinder took to Instagram Stories to voice her support for Ruffalo, who has been a vocal opponent of the merger, stating that his criticisms were aimed at business practices and military technology contracts, not at Jewish people.
Ruffalo's opposition to the $111 billion deal centers on the Ellisons' business dealings, particularly their company Oracle's provision of technological assistance to Israel. Paramount CEO David Ellison is the son of Larry Ellison, co-founder and executive chairman of Oracle. Einbinder, who identifies as Jewish, stated that Ruffalo correctly connected the Ellisons' supply of military technology to Israel during the ongoing conflict in Gaza with their pursuit of the media acquisition. She described the consolidation of power as a potential danger.
Einbinder dismissed the notion that Ruffalo's remarks were motivated by the Ellisons' Jewish faith, calling such an idea "ludicrous." She further questioned the framing, highlighting the presence of Safra Catz, Oracle's executive vice chair and a board member at Paramount, who has spoken about providing advanced technology to the Israel Defense Forces. Einbinder also pointed to Larry Ellison's political donations and past offers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as relevant context.
"The idea that [Ruffalo] only said these things because the Ellisons are Jewish is LUDICROUS," Einbinder wrote, suggesting that accusing Ruffalo of antisemitism for these criticisms is itself a mischaracterization. She argued that criticizing "RIGHT WING technofeudalist oligarchs" involved in a major media acquisition is not inherently antisemitic. Einbinder asserted that equating criticism of Israel, its actions, or its supporters with antisemitism dilutes the term's meaning and undermines the safety of Jewish people.
Ruffalo, in a social media post, described Paramount's accusations of antisemitism as "appalling and fundamentally dishonest." He reiterated that his critique focused on military contracts and executive decisions, not on Jewish people as a whole. He stated his views stem from his own political convictions and that he holds deep respect and love for Jewish people, citing the influence of Jewish friends and colleagues on his life and career.
Paramount, in response, issued a statement calling Ruffalo's rhetoric "a bridge too far" and condemning the use of terms like "genocide" and "apartheid" in the context of a corporate merger. The company stated it does not tolerate prejudice and urged for de-escalation and understanding. Paramount suggested that Ruffalo's remarks revealed the "true motivation" of those opposing the transaction and insisted the merger should be judged on its legal merits, free from bias.
Ruffalo's initial criticism, shared on Instagram Stories, accused the Ellisons of "powering some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world." He shared a video of Safra Catz discussing Oracle's technology for the Israeli military following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. Ruffalo expressed concern over the merger's implications for the entertainment industry workforce, citing a report that the deal could cost approximately 4,500 film and television jobs in Los Angeles County. He also noted that 12 Attorneys General are suing to block the merger, calling such consolidations "almost always bad for workers, consumers, and the industry they tend to dominate."