More than 170 members of the Jewish community within the entertainment industry, including individuals like Hannah Einbinder, Joel Coen, and Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman, have signed a public letter in support of American actor Mark Ruffalo, denouncing what they describe as an unfounded attack against him.
The open letter, released on Tuesday, conveys a unified message from Jewish artists, writers, creative professionals, faith leaders, and intellectuals, stating “Enough!” It defends Ruffalo against what it deems as baseless and harmful accusations of antisemitism. These allegations stem from his criticism of Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and his association of the deal with the conflict in Gaza.
Paramount Skydance, partially owned by CEO David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison, has openly expressed support for Israel. The company’s ties to Israel have raised concerns, with a top executive previously acknowledging technology sharing with the Israeli military.
Ruffalo’s representatives, along with Paramount Skydance and Oracle, have been contacted by CBC News for comments on the matter.
In response to the controversy, Paramount issued a statement last month, alleging that Ruffalo’s comments included antisemitic references. They asserted that terms such as ‘genocide’ and ‘apartheid,’ when linked to a business transaction, are not only inaccurate but also diminish the significance of the suffering associated with those terms.
A previous letter, signed by over 1,000 Jewish members of the entertainment industry, also criticized Ruffalo for singling out Jewish executives and using language that resembled historic antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Ruffalo has refrained from directly addressing the latest letter but has shared a video on Instagram expressing his concerns about the proposed merger.
The ongoing dispute between Ruffalo and Paramount revolves around the delayed $110 billion US acquisition, which faces legal challenges from 12 U.S. state attorneys general citing antitrust issues. The merger, if approved, would establish a major Hollywood entity with control over significant franchises such as Harry Potter, the DC superhero series, and CNN.
Notable personalities supporting Ruffalo in the recent open letter include author Naomi Klein, retired rabbi David Mivasair, Canadian physician Gabor Maté, American actor Ilana Glazer, and filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun.
The letter emphasizes solidarity with Ruffalo and with all individuals courageously speaking out against injustice and abuse of power.