Hollywood firms drop Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera after comments on Israel-Hamas war
CBC
Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon and Scream star Melissa Barrera were each dropped by Hollywood companies after making comments on the Israel-Hamas war that some deemed antisemitic.
Spyglass Media Group, the production company behind the upcoming Scream VII, acknowledged Barrera's exit from the horror franchise. The Mexican-born actress, who starred in In the Heights and the two recent Scream instalments, had posted statements on her Instagram stories calling the war "genocide and ethnic cleansing." "Gaza," she wrote, "is currently being treated like a concentration camp."
"Spyglass' stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism 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," Spyglass said in a statement.
Representatives for Barrera didn't return messages Wednesday.
Jenna Ortega, who played Barrera's sister in the two previous Scream films, is reportedly not returning, Deadline reported Wednesday. Ortega earlier exited the franchise due to her schedule for the Netflix series Wednesday, the trade magazine reported. A spokesperson for Ortega didn't immediately respond to queries.
A spokesperson for the United Talent Agency said Sarandon, a five-time Oscar nominee, is no longer represented by the agency. Sarandon's exit from UTA followed comments she's made about Israel, most recently in an appearance Nov. 17 at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York.
"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, so often subjected to violence," Sarandon said, according the New York Post.
The Post reported that Sarandon joined the crowd in chanting "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" — a slogan some see as antisemitic because it suggests the eradication of Israel.
Others say the phrase is used to reference the lack of freedoms Palestinians have in the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, which includes the state of Israel, as well as the Gaza Strip and the occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Sarandon could not be reached for comment Wednesday. At the rally, Sarandon also was quoted as saying: "There's a terrible thing that's happened where antisemitism has been confused with speaking up against Israel. I am against antisemitism. I am against Islamophobia."
The Israel-Hamas war has caused rifts throughout Hollywood. Earlier, when many groups were issuing statements condemning Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the Writers Guild of America ultimately didn't after failing to come to agreement.
Maha Dakhil, a prominent agent with Creative Arts Agency, last month resigned her board seat after sharing a social media post accusing Israel of genocide. Dakhil apologized.
Israel and Hamas on Wednesday agreed to a four-day ceasefire in the war in Gaza.
A small community along the coast of Labrador is shrouded in mist and being terrorized by ghosts — but world famous paranormal investigator Hellboy is on the scene.
Brian McPherson, an Edmonton-based reality TV star, athlete and disability advocate, has died at the age of 47.
If you were looking for the Broadway musical least likely to find wide theatrical success among general audiences … well, that would probably be Cats.
Each Wednesday this summer, Nanaki Nagra knew what her plans were — tuning into that week’s episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon's Prime Video.
Sean (Diddy) Combs calls Netflix docuseries, in which jurors explain verdict, a 'shameful hit piece'
WARNING: This story contains allegations of sexual violence and may affect those who have experienced it or know someone affected by it.
An Inuvialuk designer says her time on Project Runway Canada was a "career highlight" and an opportunity to showcase some of her culture.
British playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, a playful, probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998’s Shakespeare In Love, has died. He was 88.