Paramount accuses Mark Ruffalo of antisemitic imagery over Warner Bros. deal attack

Paramount has accused Hollywood star Mark Ruffalo of using "antisemitic imagery" in his campaign against the $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Ruffalo linked the deal to Oracle’s ties with Israel and the IDF, specifically citing comments by Safra Catz, an Oracle executive and Paramount board member, regarding technological support provided to the Israeli military. Ruffalo argued that these technologies, linked to the Ellison family—who are driving the merger—could eventually be used against the public. He also labeled Larry Ellison, the father of Paramount CEO David Ellison, a "classic oligarch."

A Paramount spokesperson rejected the claims, stating that using terms like "genocide" and "apartheid" in the context of a corporate transaction "crosses a line" and diminishes the reality of those terms. The company suggested that Ruffalo’s rhetoric exposes the true motives of those opposing the deal beyond standard antitrust or labor concerns. Ruffalo, who had previously testified against the merger citing potential job losses and the concentration of power, has been a vocal critic of Israel. While he retracted his use of the term "genocide" in 2021, he has remained a prominent figure in Hollywood’s pro-Palestinian movement since October 7, participating in campaigns for a ceasefire and boycotts of Israeli film institutions.