More than 170 Jewish figures in the entertainment industry have issued an open letter defending actor Mark Ruffalo against accusations of antisemitism. The signatories, including notable directors, writers, and actors, stated that charging Ruffalo with antisemitism is a "false and dangerous weaponization of charges of antisemitism" and a tactic to silence legitimate criticism.
The controversy arose from Ruffalo's opposition to the proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. Ruffalo had publicly linked the merger to military contracts and executive actions, specifically citing the business dealings of David Ellison, CEO of Paramount and son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Ruffalo pointed to Oracle's technological assistance to Israel amid its operations in Gaza and accused the Ellisons of being involved in "destructive and inhuman forces."
Actress Hannah Einbinder, who is Jewish, led the effort to gather signatures for the open letter. She stated that Ruffalo's criticisms are directed at "right-wing technofeudalist oligarchs" and that equating criticism of these actions with antisemitism diminishes the meaning of the term and endangers actual Jewish safety.
In the open letter, the signatories argued that identifying connections between the conflict in Gaza and developments in Hollywood is "the exact opposite of antisemitism" and aligns with "Jewish ethical duty." They asserted that the proposed merger is part of a broader agenda of "tech-driven domination" linked to support for actions in Palestine and the silencing of critics.
Specifically, the letter referenced Larry Ellison's significant funding for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which has taken a role in the Gaza conflict, and mentioned Safra Catz, former CEO of Oracle and current board member at Paramount, who has spoken about providing "profoundly scary technology" to the Israel Defense Forces. Ruffalo himself shared a video of Catz discussing advancing the "agenda for the Israeli military."
Paramount responded to Ruffalo's initial remarks by calling them "appalling and fundamentally dishonest" and stating that his use of terms like "genocide" and "apartheid" in relation to a corporate merger was "a bridge too far." The company characterized Ruffalo's criticism as exposing the "true motivation of some who have advocated opposition to this transaction" and insisted that the merger should be judged on its legal merits rather than "underlying bias."
Ruffalo clarified in a social media post that his criticism was aimed at specific military contracts, executive actions, and the Ellisons' business practices, not at Jewish people. He expressed deep respect for Jewish individuals and highlighted their influence on his life and career. He also noted that 12 Attorneys General are suing to block the merger, citing potential negative consequences for the film industry and job losses in Los Angeles County.
The merger, valued at $111 billion, has raised concerns about media consolidation, potential job losses, and the influence of foreign-backed funding on editorial decisions. The signatories of the open letter stated their commitment to speaking out against such issues, particularly when attempts are made to suppress criticism through accusations of antisemitism.