Over 180 Jewish public figures sign open letter denouncing smear campaign against Mark Ruffalo

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Over 180 Jewish public figures, including Joaquin Phoenix, Hannah Einbinder, and Ilana Glazer, have publicly defended Mark Ruffalo against allegations of antisemitism, calling the claims a “smear campaign” related to his criticism of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and Israeli military actions.

The smear campaign against Ruffalo began when he criticized the proposed Paramount-Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, linking it to the company’s executives—specifically Larry Ellison—and their ties to Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the 2023 Hamas attack. Ruffalo described the situation in Gaza as a genocide and referenced technologies supplied by Oracle executives that he said were involved in the oppression and killing of Palestinians. In response, Paramount accused Ruffalo of invoking antisemitic tropes in posts about the merger.

In response, more than 180 Jewish figures across the entertainment industry, academia, and the arts issued an open letter defending Ruffalo. Signatories include actors Joaquin Phoenix, Hannah Einbinder, Ilana Glazer, Wallace Shawn, Joel Coen, Canadian filmmakers Emma Seligman and Kenneth Lonergan, and writers like Tony Kushner.

The letter states that Ruffalo’s criticisms do not reflect antisemitism but are legitimate concerns about corporate consolidation and its geopolitical implications. It emphasizes that pointing out connections between Hollywood mergers and conflicts in Gaza is “the exact opposite of antisemitism” and frames speaking out as a core element of Jewish ethical responsibility.

It begins by saying:

We are Jewish artists, writers, creative professionals, faith leaders and thinkers who have, in response to the outrageous smear campaign against our respected colleague Mark Ruffalo, a simple message to share with the world: Enough! Enough with the false and dangerous weaponization of charges of antisemitism against those who are brave enough to point out the obvious: that the assault on the Palestinian people and the assault on our liberties at home are deeply interconnected, and there is nothing antisemitic about recognizing that fact.

The letter also highlights statistics showing that a significant portion of American Jews recognize Israel’s actions in Gaza as war crimes, challenging the notion that Ruffalo’s criticism constitutes antisemitism.

Pointing out the crucial connections between what is happening in Gaza and what is happening in Hollywood is the exact opposite of antisemitism. It is, for us, the very essence of Jewish ethical duty. According to a recent Washington Post poll, 61% of American Jews now agree that Israel is committing war crimes in Gaza; and four in ten even agree that these crimes amount to genocide. Do those attacking Mark Ruffalo as an antisemite seriously believe that all these American Jews are antisemites too? Or that we don’t see the connection between, on the one hand, the criminal impunities that have led the US and Israel into unending disaster and, on the other, the oligarchic powerplays of the Musks, Ellisons, Thiels and others who are working to dismantle our democracy?

Full letter and signatories: Mark Ruffalo Defended in Open Letter Against Antisemitism Claims