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VIRAL EXCLUSIVE
Dec. 27, 2023
Film Stars Affected as Hollywood Grapples with Israel-Hamas Conflict
The departure and dismissals of two celebrity actors over the past week in regards to statements on the Israel-Hamas war have brought into light the challenge Hollywood is facing - one of the most divisive conflicts in recent times. By: Dylan Low
Susan Sarandon was the most recent case as she fell victim to being dropped by her agency UTA, following her statements she made at a pro-Palestinian protest in New York two weeks ago.
Video footage on TikTok surfaced showcasing the activist who played film roles in Thelma & Louise and Dead Man Walking, mentioning to a group, stating, “Hold Palestine in your heart, pray for the people of Palestine… again thank you to the Jewish community who’s come out to have our backs.”
She also reposted social media posts by many others who showcase pro-Palestinian statements, inclusive of Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters.
Another popular film star who was retrenched was Melissa Barrera, by her company Spyglass Media Group, from her upcoming movie Scream VII. She referenced Social Media posts that compared Gaza to a concentration camp, saying terms like “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” talking about Israel’s retaliation to the Hamas terror attacks.
Despite Spyglass’ message in regards to their stance of zero tolerance for antisemitism, fans were unhappy as they started a petition to reinstate the actor back to her role. The petition ended off with the statement, “Sign this petition today if you believe in standing up against corporate bullying and protecting our beloved actors’ rights to express their opinions freely.”
These developments follow a prior situation regarding CAA film sector co-chief Maha Dakhil, as she removed herself from her leadership roles after she reposted a social media message, stating, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide”. She still remains a CAA agent today.
She has attracted contradictory reactions from other CAA agents, some sympathizing with her situation while others noted she should be fired. Even Tom Cruise got involved as he showed up to the agency Los Angeles headquarters to issue his support.
Other than film actors and agents, organisations have also been impacted. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) came under scrutiny from The Screenwriters Guild of Israel for not publicly condemning the Hamas terror attacks on October 7th. The WGA West president Meredith Stiehm stated to members there was no statement as an agreement was “out of reach” among membership.
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt criticised WGA, saying “There’s just no excuse for not condemning Hamas and demanding the release of hostages. Hollywood was quick to declare Black Lives Matter, as they should, and Time’s Up, as they should and myriad other important causes.
“There’s plenty of room for criticism of Israel or to voice concerns about the ongoing war in Gaza, but that doesn’t provide celebrities and industry reps with an open license to wage unfair accusations against Israel, such as accusing it of ‘apartheid’ or ‘genocide’ or, worse, to celebrate the actions of Hamas terrorists.”
The situation aims to take a turn for the better, as Israel complied to a truce with Hamas for the release of 50 Israeli hostages in Gaza for a four-day halt in war.
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