Actor and activist Mark Ruffalo has strongly refuted accusations that his criticism of the proposed Warner Bros. Discovery merger, linked to the Ellison family, constitutes antisemitism. Ruffalo issued a statement calling the accusation "appalling and fundamentally dishonest."
"Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people," Ruffalo stated. "This critical and necessary dialogue is then dishonestly framed as being anti-Israel. To be clear, my views come from my own political convictions and should never be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people, for whom I have deep love and respect."
Ruffalo's remarks followed an accusation from a Paramount spokesperson who stated the actor injected "antisemitic tropes" into what the company described as a corporate dispute. The controversy arose after Ruffalo shared remarks from Paramount board member Safra Catz, who appeared to discuss the "really profoundly scary technologies" employed by Oracle, a company co-founded by Larry Ellison, to assist the Israeli military. Following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, Ruffalo had linked Oracle's technology to the proposed acquisition by David Ellison, Larry Ellison's son.
"These 'really profoundly scary technologies' will most likely be merged into one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and one day used on you," Ruffalo wrote. "Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle."
The Paramount spokesperson responded, expressing concern "when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute." The spokesperson added that "words like ‘genocide’ and ‘apartheid,’ applied to a corporate transaction, aren’t just wrong — they’re a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe." The company stated it does not "tolerate prejudice of any kind, against anyone."
Ruffalo, in his response, emphasized the "real consequences" of the merger for individuals and the nation. "Scrutinizing the Ellisons, including Oracle’s business built on data, surveillance technology and government contracts, and the serious threat to editorial freedom and the loss of a livelihood for thousands of families, is fair and necessary," he said.
He further argued that the potential $111 billion deal, which would place CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros. under the control of one family and is reportedly backed in part by foreign money, warrants scrutiny regarding its influence on editorial decisions. "Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for serious national security review, and regulators still haven’t given the public a real answer," Ruffalo noted. "Until they do, the merger shouldn’t move forward. Now is the time to dive boldly into all these issues, not step back or concede."
The proposed merger faces challenges from a coalition of 12 state attorneys general. The companies involved have agreed to postpone the deal's finalization until June 1, 2027, or until a court ruling on the states' claims, whichever occurs first. Larry Ellison's son, David Ellison, is expected to lead CNN following Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a development that has reportedly caused concern among some CNN employees.