George Clooney is the latest addition to Mark Ruffalo‘s defense team!
The A-list actor has come to his pal’s rescue as he continues to come under fire for allegedly conveying antisemitic views towards the Paramount merger with Warner Bros Discovery.
Mark Ruffalo has previously warned about the adoption of Oracle technology because of their affiliation with Israeli military operations in the wake of the CEO funding Paramount’s latest venture.
The movie star broke his silence during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival as he was set to receive the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. He was asked to give his 2 cents on Paramount’s criticism of Ruffalo, to which he reiterated his support for Ruffalo’s ability to speak freely.
Clooney emphasized that it sounded ridiculous to consider banning free speech, a concept he religiously believes in even if his friend was in the wrong. The actor noted that free speech has become a permanent part of how a democratic system works.
“There are going to be people tonight in the room that are going to disagree with most everything I say or stand for. Fair enough. That’s how it’s supposed to be. We’re supposed to argue these things out and come to a conclusion based on the information that we take in,” the actor added.
As stated by The Daily Mail, Clooney continued that he also knows Ruffalo personally as a friend, and he would always stand behind his right to speak freely because he is a good man.
Clooney Expressed His Reservation About Paramount’s Merger
5The father of two then revealed his perspective on the merger, describing it as a complicated process that may not give the expected outcome nor reward those actively involved in the execution. Clooney insisted that the confusion surrounding the merger is too significant for him to predict that it would be a successful one.
The actor added that innocent people often suffer in this kind of business arrangement because it leads to severe job losses. Clooney concluded that the trickiness of the situation is what makes it such a herculean task, regardless of how much money is expended on the process.
Over the course of the days since Ruffalo criticized the business move and then defended his criticism, nearly 200 Jewish celebrities have risen to defend him and warn against unnecessary weaponization of antisemitism.
More From The Blast
Mark Ruffalo Has Marisa Tomei And Other Celebrities On His Side
5As shared by The Blast, just like Clooney, Tomei did not mince words when she rose in defense of the actor last week by sharing a group statement which outrightly rejected any cynical attempt to falsely label the actor as antisemitic.
Speaking on behalf of the 1A Committee, Tomei and the rest also insisted that Ruffalo has a right to free speech and has also positioned himself as someone who uses his influence to fight for democracy.
Prior to Tomei’s statement, “Broad City” actress Glazer condemned the attempt to shut down legitimate criticism of a massive corporate merger by calling Ruffalo antisemitic. Ilana Glazer added that Ruffalo always defended the rights of the Palestinian people while condemning antisemitism.
Actress Hannah Einbender led the signatures of Jewish entertainment industry members who defended the actor, alongside Joel Coen, Todd Haynes, James Schamus, Emma Seligman, Tony Kushner, Jane Schoenbrun and Wallace Shawn.
Where Exactly Did The Actor Ruffle The Feathers?
5Ruffalo had fanned the flames of controversy when he shared an old clip from former CEO of Oracle Technologies Safra Catz revealing how they built sophisticated technologies for the Israeli military. The timeline coincided with the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
Ruffalo drew backlash from Paramount after sharing the post from the social media platform of the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which had accused Oracle of complicity in abuses against Palestinians.
The actor was on board with the criticism, as he joined others to describe the Gaza war as genocide, slamming Oracle for being a willing ally to an apartheid system of oppression.
Ruffalo also targeted Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, whose financing is reportedly tied to his son David Ellison’s proposed Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. He described Larry as a powerful oligarch, while warning that the deal could place major media influence in the hands of destructive forces.
Paramount then pushed back, and tagged Ruffalo’s comments as one heavily reliant on harmful antisemitic tropes and improperly used terms such as “genocide” and “apartheid” in the context of a corporate transaction.
The studio added that it does not tolerate prejudice and suggested the controversy revealed the motives of some opponents of the deal.
Mark Ruffalo Dismissed The Antisemitic Allegations Against Him
5Ruffalo did not let Paramount get the last word in as he quickly thrashed any ongoing narrative that his criticism of the company’s move was a direct attack on the Jewish people. As stated by The Blast, he stressed that the accusation that he harbors any dislike towards the jews was fundamentally dishonest and appalling.
Ruffalo explained that criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply is not in any way similar to criticizing the Jewish people. He clarified to the New York Post in his disclaimer that he has enjoyed a significant relationship with the Jewish community.
“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,” Ruffalo added.
The actor did not tone down the volume about Paramount’s merger leaving real damages on real people and how it poses a serious threat to editorial freedom.
Mark Ruffalo seems to have a lot of people on your side!