Haim Saban, Lawrence Bender and Teddy Schwarzman Among Industry Group Accusing Mark Ruffalo of “Antisemitism” in Attack on Paramount Leadership

An entertainment industry group that includes Hollywood producers Haim Saban, Lawrence Bender and Teddy Schwarzman has released a statement condemning the alleged “antisemitic tropes” underpinning Mark Ruffalo‘s opposition to Paramount’s leadership amid its proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The statement comes from a group calling itself The Brigade, which describes itself as “a group of nearly 1,000 members, friends, and allies of the Jewish community who are proud to be working in film, television, music, Broadway, social and digital, and other platforms in and around the entertainment industry.” Related Stories As well as Power Rangers media mogul Saban, Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction producer Bender and Black Bear founder and CEO Schwarzman, the Brigade includes amongst its ranks Ram Bergman, Matti Leshem, Anthony Bregman, Micah Green and Lynn Harris. The Brigade’s statement comes in the wake of Ruffalo’s Aug. 21 Instagram post that spotlighted Oracle’s ties to the Israeli military — specifically a viral clip of former Oracle CEO Safra Catz at the Israeli-American Council National Summit in 2024 as it related to Israel’s war effort in Gaza. “Singling out Jewish executives and describing them in terms lifted from centuries-old antisemitic conspiracy theories, while invoking Israel as the frame for that attack, is antisemitic,” reads the statement. “It is unacceptable to introduce Jews, antizionism, or antisemitism into conversations about business transactions, simply because those involved are Jewish.” Ruffalo has long opposed both the Paramount-WBD merger over concerns about Hollywood jobs and has also long campaigned for Palestinian rights and condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The actor’s post called out Oracle founder Larry Ellison, Paramount’s controlling shareholder through a family trust, and the father of Paramount CEO David Ellison. Larry Ellison is also the key financial backstop behind Paramount’s merger attempt with WBD. The statement added: “This is a callous continuation of the ongoing campaign by the same individuals and groups targeting Jewish people and the state of Israel, a pattern of antisemitism and misinformation that puts our community in grave danger.” After Ruffalo’s initial Instagram post, a Paramount spokesperson issued a reply to the four-time Oscar-nominated and two-time Emmy-winning actor that called for the temperature of the debate around the WBD deal to be lowered and characterized Ruffalo’s remarks as “antisemitic.” In a viral X post, Ruffalo fired back that the “accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest.” The Brigade joins the Simon Wiesenthal Center in condemning Ruffalo’s Paramount posts. But in her own statement, Emmy-winning Hacks actress Hannah Einbinder described the “antisemitism” claims against Ruffalo as “ludicrous,” and implored more in Hollywood to “be more like Mark.” Read the full statement from The Brigade below: We are writing on behalf of a group of nearly 1000 members, friends, and allies of the Jewish community who are proud to be working in film, television, music, Broadway, social and digital, and other platforms in and around the entertainment industry. It is unfortunate that we are yet again forced to state our unequivocal condemnation of the use of antisemitic tropes and narratives by those who use their platform for targeted hate speech toward Jews. Singling out Jewish executives and describing them in terms lifted from centuries-old antisemitic conspiracy theories, while invoking Israel as the frame for that attack, is antisemitic. It is unacceptable to introduce Jews, antizionism, or antisemitism into conversations about business transactions, simply because those involved are Jewish. There is nothing “strange” about a Jewish executive discussing substantive issues about tech. This is not commentary on a merger. It is not a criticism of a government. It is simple antisemitism, where Jewish executives are portrayed as a secretive and powerful wealth-hoarding elite delighting in mass death. This is the same rhetoric that Nazis, Soviets, and the Klan weaponized against Jews, and its consequences are not only historical: they show up today in attacks against Jews in our streets, our synagogues, and our schools. This is a callous continuation of the ongoing campaign by the same individuals and groups targeting Jewish people and the state of Israel, a pattern of antisemitism and misinformation that puts our community in grave danger. There is no excuse and no defense for this rhetoric, including the “I have Jewish friends” rationale, and there are many questions that demand an answer — including, is there someone behind the funding of this campaign that is continuously perpetrated by the same individuals? We will keep standing up against this hatred. Because when we say, NEVER AGAIN, we mean it. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day