After Paramount called Mark Ruffalo’s statement about Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison’s alleged role in the Israel-Gaza war “antisemitic”, the actor has responded to the claim. In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Mark called the antisemitic tag ‘appalling and fundamentally dishonest’.
‘Accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling’
He wrote, “The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest. Criticising the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticising Jewish people. This critical and necessary dialogue is then dishonestly framed as being anti-Israel.”
Explaining his deep connection with the Jewish people, he wrote, “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. Everything I know about acting, activism and humanism has been profoundly shaped by the Jewish friends, colleagues and loved ones who have been integral and family throughout every point of my life.”
Expressing his thoughts against the merger, he wrote, “This merger has real consequences for real people, and for the entire country. Scrutinising 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 added, “The $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions has never been fully explained to the public. 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. 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.”
Mark Ruffalo vs Paramount
Mark Ruffalo has been critical of Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110.9 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Oracle is reportedly funding Paramount’s proposed deal.
Recently, Mark shared a 2024 clip of former Oracle chief Safra Catz. The clip shows her allegedly speaking in relation to the Israel-Gaza war as she spoke about “profoundly scary technologies”. Referring to the clip, Ruffalo called the war a “genocide” that “was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle.”
He also wrote that the mentioned “profoundly scary technologies” “will most likely be merged into one of the largest media conglomerates in the world”. Slamming the planned Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, he wrote that it is “crushing workers and consolidating the wealth of the world for their own power and concentrated dominance.”
What did Paramount say against Mark?
Paramount had issued a statement and called Ruffalo’s remarks “antisemitic.” A Paramount representative was quoted by Variety as saying, “We are, as always, troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute. 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. This doesn’t deserve a response in kind — and to be clear, we don’t tolerate prejudice of any kind, against anyone.”
Paramount added, “We understand people feel strongly about this merger and are hopeful and expect that it will be judged based on the legal merits, not underlying bias. We’re asking for the same good faith we’re extending: less rhetoric, more understanding. Paramount’s future is being written for everyone who wants to make and watch great stories.”