Wiesenthal Center CEO Backs Paramount's Antisemitism Label in $111 Billion Ruffalo Merger Fight
Updated
Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 23
Wiesenthal Center CEO Backs Paramount's Antisemitism Label in $111 Billion Ruffalo Merger Fight
3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Aug 23
Summary
Jim Berk said Paramount was right to call Mark Ruffalo’s anti-merger remarks antisemitic, arguing the actor injected Israel into a business dispute where it was irrelevant.
Ruffalo had attacked Paramount’s $111 billion Warner Bros. deal by citing Oracle’s ties to Israel’s military and calling the Gaza war a “genocide” built on an “apartheid system” powered by Oracle.
Paramount said terms like “genocide” and “apartheid” applied to a corporate transaction were wrong and invoked antisemitic tropes rather than legitimate criticism.
On Saturday, Ruffalo rejected the accusation as “appalling and fundamentally dishonest,” saying criticism of Israel’s prime minister, military contracts or executives is not criticism of Jewish people.
Creative Community for Peace has also urged a Hollywood boycott until Ruffalo retracts the remarks and apologizes, widening the backlash beyond Paramount.