Paramount Responds to Mark Ruffalo’s Merger Criticism Calling Remarks Antisemitic

The ongoing dispute surrounding Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery has intensified, involving lawmakers, state attorneys general, and a growing number of voices from Hollywood. Mark Ruffalo has emerged as a prominent critic of the merger, having testified against it during a Senate hearing, signed an open letter with hundreds of fellow actors, and consistently expressed his concerns on social media.

This week, Ruffalo escalated his opposition by targeting the family financing the deal. His latest Instagram post focused on Larry Ellison, the Oracle founder with a net worth of approximately $200 billion, whose wealth is a crucial financial support for his son David Ellison’s efforts to merge the two historic studios.

On Friday, Ruffalo shared a resurfaced clip of Oracle executive vice chair Safra Catz discussing the company’s collaboration with the Israeli military. In his post, Ruffalo accused the Ellisons of profiting from systems he claims contribute to what he termed “genocide” in Gaza, referencing Catz’s comments about Oracle’s “profoundly scary technologies” being utilized amid the conflict following the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Ruffalo also warned that the merger could be “catastrophic” for the film industry, citing the potential loss of around 4,500 direct filmmaking jobs and an additional 10,000 ancillary positions, labeling Ellison and Catz as “really profoundly scary people.”

Paramount responded to Ruffalo’s comments, with a spokesperson for the David Ellison-led company expressing concern over the use of antisemitic tropes in the context of a business dispute. They stated that terms like “genocide” and “apartheid” applied to “a corporate transaction” are “a bridge too far” and diminish the real suffering those words are intended to convey.

The statement, first reported by TheWrap, emphasized the need for de-escalation rather than further conflict. “This brings us to a moment to lower the temperature, not raise it,” the company remarked, expressing a preference for constructive dialogue over inflammatory rhetoric and suggesting that this incident reveals the true motivations of some who oppose the merger.

Paramount also highlighted its commitment to inclusivity, stating that its dedication to quality content matches its commitment to acceptance, ensuring that every story and storyteller is valued without exceptions.

This isn’t the first time Paramount has expressed concerns about the tone of the opposition. In June, Paramount’s chief legal officer, Makan Delrahim, claimed that some critics of the merger were driven by “their own antisemitic views,” a sentiment echoed by others within the company. In its response to Ruffalo, Paramount reiterated its hope that the deal would be assessed based on legal merits rather than underlying biases, urging for “the same good faith we’re extending: less rhetoric, more understanding.”

Ruffalo has a history of using charged language regarding Israel, previously labeling the country as a form of “apartheid” in 2020 and accusing it of “genocide” in 2021, later admitting that such descriptions were “not accurate” and could be used to justify antisemitism.

The merger remains contentious, with twelve state attorneys general currently suing to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal, while other local officials, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have expressed support for it. As regulators, lawmakers, and some of Hollywood’s most notable figures weigh in, the debate over the merger’s future and the surrounding rhetoric shows no signs of abating.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!