Key facts
- Over 170 Jewish artists signed an open letter supporting Mark Ruffalo.
- Ruffalo was accused of antisemitism after criticizing the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery merger.
- The letter calls the accusation an "outrageous smear campaign" and a "dangerous way to shut down legitimate criticism."
- Signatories include Todd Haynes, Joel Coen, Miranda July, Hannah Einbinder, Wallace Shawn, and Naomi Klein.
- The letter links the merger to Larry Ellison's company Oracle, which supplies software to the Israel Defense Forces.
- Ruffalo stated that criticizing Israeli military technology contracts is not the same as criticizing Jewish people.
A group of over 170 prominent Jewish artists, including Todd Haynes, Joel Coen, Miranda July, Hannah Einbinder, Wallace Shawn, and Naomi Klein, have signed an open letter in support of actor Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo faced accusations of invoking antisemitic tropes after he criticized the proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD).
Ruffalo had highlighted connections between Paramount Skydance, owned by David Ellison (son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison), and Oracle's provision of technology to the Israel Defense Forces. Paramount responded to Ruffalo, expressing concern over the invocation of antisemitic tropes in a business dispute.
The open letter, titled "Enough!", dismisses the charges against Ruffalo as an "outrageous smear campaign" and condemns the "false and dangerous weaponization of charges of antisemitism." The signatories argue that criticizing the actions of the Israeli government or military technology contracts is not antisemitic and is essential for recognizing the interconnectedness of global and domestic liberties.
Ilana Glazer, a former star of Broad City, stated that calling Ruffalo antisemitic for questioning a corporate merger is absurd and a dangerous tactic to silence criticism. Ruffalo himself clarified that his criticism is directed at specific actions and entities, not at Jewish people, and that framing this dialogue as anti-Israel is dishonest.
The letter further elaborates on the merger's implications, describing it as a consolidation of media control and a "tech-driven domination" project linked to support for actions in Palestine. It references Oracle's involvement with the Israel Defense Forces and Larry Ellison's personal funding of initiatives related to the conflict.