Susan Sarandon Pays Price of Taking a Pro-Palestine Stand
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Alaina - . November 22, 2023
- . Update: November 22, 2023 12:28 pm
Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon has been dropped by UTA, a Hollywood talent agency, for taking a pro-Palestine stand and participating in a pro-Palestinian rally over the weekend. She has been making comments and remarks since Israel began bombarding Gaza following Hamas October 7 strike.
One such remark that led UTA to drop her as a client was, “There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country.” The Dead Man Walking actress encouraged others to keep speaking up in support of Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war.
“People are questioning, people are standing up, people are educating themselves, people are stepping away from brainwashing that started when they were kids. Be strong, be patient, be clear and stand with anybody who has the courage to speak out.”
Pro-Palestine Actors in Hot Water
Like Susan Sarandon, Maha Dakhil who is one of the top agents with CAA talent agency, is also in hot water for calling out Israel’s bombardment in Gaza as genocide on Instagram. “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.” This post prompted CAA to sack her as co-chief of the motion pictures department.
This had repercussions for the agency, with Hollywood’s Top Gun Tom Cruise coming up in support for Dakhil. Moreover, a group of CAA assistants threatened to walk out over the agency’s treatment of her. They said Dakhil was railroaded by the management. However, some in the agency believe Dakhil’s post was disillusioned and felt she should have been fired.
Angelina Jolie also faced backlash over her statement on Instagram “Hamas terrorist attack cannot justify the innocent lives lost in bombing a civilian population in Gaza that has nowhere to go, no access to food or water, no possibility of evacuation, and not even the basic human right to cross a border to seek refuge.” She added that bombings are causing desperate new humanitarian needs daily. “The denial of aid, fuel and water is collectively punishing people. Humanity demands an immediate ceasefire.”
The Maleficent actor’s post was condemned by her own father who said she has no understanding of God’s honor.
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Israel Defenders Cry Anti-Semitism
Majority of those who have taken a pro-Israeli stance like Angelina Jolie’s father have decried anti-Semitism and right of Israel. Spyglass Media Group, when it dropped Melissa Barrera, said the company has zero tolerance for anti-Semitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion, or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech.
Sarandon believes there’s a terrible thing that’s happened where anti-Semitism has been confused with speaking up against Israel. She said she is against anti-Semitism and against Islamophobia.
