Mark Ruffalo rejects antisemitism accusation following Paramount merger criticism.
Actor defends scrutiny of Ellison family, Oracle and proposed $111 billion deal.
Paramount and California Attorney General Rob Bonta are set for Monday talks.
Mark Ruffalo has responded to the backlash over his criticism of the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, rejecting accusations of antisemitism as “appalling and fundamentally dishonest”. The actor said his remarks were aimed at political and corporate actions rather than Jewish people, following a heated exchange with Paramount.
Mark Ruffalo Responds To Antisemitism Allegation
In a lengthy post on X, Ruffalo argued that criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, military technology contracts or executives connected to them should not be equated with hostility towards Jews. His comments came a day after Paramount accused him of invoking antisemitic tropes while opposing the merger.
“The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest,” Ruffalo wrote. He added that the discussion had been “dishonestly framed as being anti-Israel”.
The actor also stressed his personal ties to the Jewish community. “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,” he wrote, adding that Jewish friends, colleagues and loved ones had shaped his work and activism.
What Mark Ruffalo Said About The Paramount-Warner Deal
Ruffalo further defended his scrutiny of Larry and David Ellison, Oracle and the proposed $111 billion transaction. He argued that examining Oracle’s government contracts and surveillance technology, alongside concerns over editorial independence and potential job losses, was legitimate.
“This merger has real consequences for real people, and for the entire country,” Ruffalo wrote. He also claimed that lawmakers from both parties had called for a national security review and argued that the deal should not proceed without greater public clarity.
The dispute follows Ruffalo’s Friday Instagram post, in which he linked Oracle’s activities in Israel to his opposition to the merger. Paramount had called those remarks “a bridge too far” and said it did not tolerate prejudice.
The latest development comes as Paramount and California Attorney General Rob Bonta prepare to meet on Monday over a possible settlement in the multi-state antitrust case challenging the deal.
