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Marvel's "Hulk" star Mark Ruffalo, a vocal opponent of Paramount Skydance's ongoing bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery since last year, recently escalated his criticism. He directly accused Larry Ellison, Oracle founder and father of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, of leveraging Oracle's technology to support Israel's military operations in Palestine. Ruffalo further questioned whether these technologies would eventually be integrated into the combined Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery entity, noting Larry Ellison's significant financial investment in his son's acquisition efforts.
Ruffalo's remarks reportedly angered Paramount Skydance, which promptly issued a statement accusing him of employing antisemitic tropes.
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However, Paramount Skydance's attempt to control the narrative appears to have failed. A significant number of Jewish film industry professionals in Hollywood have since rallied to Ruffalo's defense, condemning Paramount Skydance for making "false accusations of antisemitism."
Earlier today, over 180 prominent Jewish figures from entertainment and other fields launched an open letter, expressing their support for Ruffalo's critique of Paramount Skydance. They concurred that a successful acquisition would further consolidate oligarchic control over media, threatening numerous jobs, healthy competition, and creative output within the film and television industry. The letter also emphasized that Larry Ellison has never hidden his strong support for Israel's actions in Palestine, arguing that highlighting the connection between the Gaza situation and Hollywood's current landscape is, in fact, a Jewish ethical responsibility. They asserted that Paramount Skydance's "outdated smear tactics" against critics only serve to expose the weakness of its own position. The signatories concluded by stating their immense pride in standing with Ruffalo.
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Signatories to the open letter currently include Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix; Joel Coen, one half of the Coen Brothers; "The Zone of Interest" director Jonathan Glazer; "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" co-screenwriter James Schamus; Todd Haynes, who directed Ruffalo in "Dark Waters"; and "Lincoln" Oscar-nominated screenwriter Tony Kushner, among others.
via： Variety