The dispute between Mark Ruffalo and Paramount has intensified following the actor’s criticism of Paramount Skydance’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Ruffalo, who has been outspoken about the proposed deal, recently shared a video on Instagram featuring Oracle executive vice chair Safra Catz discussing technology the company made available to the Israeli military following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.
In the post, Ruffalo criticised David and Larry Ellison, accusing them of “powering some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world.”
His comments were linked to his wider opposition to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle, is the father of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison.
Paramount Accuses Ruffalo of Using Antisemitic Tropes
Paramount responded to Ruffalo’s comments with a statement saying it was concerned about what it described as the use of antisemitic tropes in connection with a business dispute.
The company argued that terms such as “genocide” and “apartheid” should not be applied to a corporate transaction, saying that such language was inappropriate and diminished the suffering associated with those words.
Paramount also stated that it does not tolerate prejudice of any kind and expressed hope that the proposed merger would ultimately be judged on its legal merits rather than what it described as underlying bias.
The company called for “less rhetoric” and greater understanding as the disagreement continued.
Ruffalo Strongly Denies Antisemitism Allegation
Ruffalo responded to Paramount’s statement on X, firmly rejecting the allegation that he was antisemitic.
“The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest,” the actor said.
He argued that criticising the actions of Israel’s prime minister, military technology contracts or the executives involved in supplying such technology should not be interpreted as criticism of Jewish people.
Ruffalo further said that discussions and criticism of Israeli government policies are often, in his view, wrongly framed as hostility towards Israel or Jewish people.
The actor stressed that his position is based on his own political convictions and should not be understood as hostility towards Jewish people, for whom he said he has “deep love and respect.”
Mark Ruffalo intensifies opposition to Paramount-Warner Bros. deal
Advocacy Group Backs Paramount’s Position
The controversy has also drawn in other voices.
Ari Engel, executive director of the advocacy group Creative Community for Peace, supported Paramount’s position. In a statement, Engel said Ruffalo’s rhetoric had increasingly moved beyond criticism of Israel and, in his view, crossed into extremist and antisemitic messaging.
The disagreement reflects the wider and often highly sensitive debate surrounding criticism of Israeli government policies, Israel’s military actions and concerns about antisemitism.
Ruffalo Had Previously Retracted Similar Language
This is not the first time Ruffalo has faced controversy over his comments about Israel.
In 2021, during an earlier period of fighting between Israel and Hamas, the actor apologised for social media posts in which he suggested that Israel was committing “genocide.”
At the time, Ruffalo later described his use of the term as “inaccurate” and “inflammatory,” and withdrew the remarks.
Merger Dispute Remains Unresolved
Meanwhile, the underlying dispute over Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery has yet to be resolved.
The proposed merger is currently on hold while a federal judge considers an antitrust lawsuit filed by a coalition of state attorneys general challenging the transaction.
A ruling is reportedly not expected until June next year.
As the legal battle over the proposed merger continues, the public disagreement between Paramount and Ruffalo has added a new political and personal dimension to an already high-profile corporate dispute.
