Paramount Condemns Mark Ruffalo Over Antisemitic Tropes as Simon Wiesenthal Center Weighs In
Paramount has condemned actor Mark Ruffalo for invoking what the studio called antisemitic tropes in his campaign against the Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, drawing support from two Jewish advocacy groups within hours.
The dispute began when Ruffalo re-posted a year-old video clip on Instagram of Paramount Skydance board member Safra Catz speaking on a panel. He accompanied it with text accusing her of "revelling" in a "genocide" powered by Oracle — a tacit reference to the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to Variety. Catz is the former CEO of Oracle, the technology giant co-founded by Larry Ellison, father of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison.
Paramount issued its statement on Friday, saying it is "troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute" (Variety). Ruffalo fired back on X, calling the accusation of antisemitism "appalling and fundamentally dishonest."
Ruffalo has been among the most vocal critics of the proposed $111 billion deal in which Paramount Skydance would acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The transaction is mired in legal challenges from 12 state attorneys general. Ruffalo has argued that Larry Ellison is funding his son David's acquisition and would own "most of" the combined company if it closes. Larry Ellison has reportedly committed up to $46.7 billion of the deal, with sovereign wealth funds of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi committing at least $24 billion (Variety).
Ruffalo called Larry Ellison a "classic Oligarch" who is "crushing workers and consolidating the wealth of the world for their own power and concentrated dominance," and accused the Ellisons of "powering some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world" (Variety).
On August 22, 2026, the Simon Wiesenthal Center issued a statement commending Paramount for calling out antisemitic rhetoric (Simon Wiesenthal Center). CEO Jim Berk said "Words matter" and praised Paramount for "refusing to allow prejudice to masquerade as political or corporate criticism." He called invoking Israel in an irrelevant issue "a textbook case of obsession and demonization" (Variety).
The Creative Community for Peace joined the condemnation. Executive director Ari Engel said Ruffalo's rhetoric "has increasingly crossed the line from criticism of Israel into extremist and antisemitic messaging" (Variety).
The Wiesenthal Center's statement landed just hours after Ruffalo posted his rebuttal to Paramount's accusations, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. Variety reported that Ruffalo was called out for rhetoric that "mirrors historic antisemitic tropes" and helps "normalize the violent anti-Jewish" sentiment.
The clash sits at the intersection of a media mega-merger and the broader fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict across Hollywood. Ruffalo, a three-time Oscar nominee known for his activist profile, has positioned himself as an opponent of consolidation in the entertainment industry. Paramount's decision to publicly name and condemn a major talent over statements made outside a film set is a striking escalation for a studio in the middle of a regulatory fight.
