Mark Ruffalo hits back at Paramount's 'antisemitic' remark
What's the story
Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo has rejected Paramount's accusation that his recent comments on Oracle's alleged role in the Israel-Gaza war were "antisemitic." On Saturday, he took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to clarify his stance. He wrote, "The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest." "Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister...is not the same as criticizing Jewish people."
Statement
'To be clear, my views come from...'
Ruffalo further clarified, "This critical and necessary dialogue is then dishonestly framed as being anti-Israel."
"To be clear, 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."
"Everything I know about acting, activism, and humanism has been profoundly shaped by the Jewish friends, colleagues, and loved ones who have been integral and family throughout every point of my life."
Defense
Ruffalo defends his stance
Ruffalo further defended his criticism of Oracle and the proposed Paramount-WB merger.
He argued that scrutinizing Oracle's business "built on data and surveillance technology" is fair and necessary.
"The $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions has never been fully explained to the public."
Notably, Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder, is Paramount CEO David Ellison's father and is primarily funding the proposed merger.
Twitter Post
Here's Ruffalo's post
The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest. Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people. This critical and necessary dialogue…
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 22, 2026
Criticism
What did Ruffalo previously say about Oracle and the war?
Ruffalo, a vocal critic of the deal, had recently shared a 2024 video clip featuring former Oracle CEO Safra Catz discussing "profoundly scary technologies" in relation to the Israel-Gaza war.
The actor called the war a "genocide" "built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle."
He also criticized the planned Paramount-WB merger, stating that it would consolidate wealth and power for moguls at the expense of workers.
Company statement
Paramount called for a civil debate
In response, a Paramount representative called for a more civil debate and labeled Ruffalo's remarks as "antisemitic."
The representative said, "We are, as always, troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute."
"Words like 'genocide' and 'apartheid,' applied to a corporate transaction, aren't just wrong, they're a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe," they said.