180 Jewish Figures Defend Ruffalo From Antisemitism Accusations

More than 180 Jewish figures from the entertainment industry and cultural world have signed an open letter defending actor Mark Ruffalo after he was accused of invoking antisemitic tropes in his criticism of a proposed media merger. The letter, published on September 2, 2026, describes the allegations against Ruffalo as part of an "outrageous smear campaign" and rejects what it calls the "false and dangerous weaponization of charges of antisemitism." The controversy began on August 21, when Ruffalo, a prominent opponent of the planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance, posted on Instagram about the deal. He shared a video clip of Safra Catz, Oracle's executive vice chair and a Paramount board member, discussing technology the company provided to the Israeli military following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. Ruffalo accused Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, the father of Paramount CEO David Ellison, of using the company to fund his son's acquisition and linked Oracle's work to what he described as a "genocide" and "apartheid system of oppression" in Gaza.