Jewish groups criticize Mark Ruffalo for alleged antisemitic remarks

Two Jewish advocacy organizations have accused actor Mark Ruffalo of using antisemitic tropes in recent social-media comments about the pending Paramount-Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, represented by CEO Jim Berk, said "words matter, and so does the willingness to draw a line when legitimate debate gives way to antisemitic tropes" and praised Paramount for condemning the post. > "We commend Paramount for speaking clearly and refusing to allow prejudice to masquerade as political or corporate criticism," Berk added.

Creative Communities for Peace executive director Ari Ingel said Ruffalo’s rhetoric had moved from criticism of Israel to "extremist and antisemitic messaging." Paramount issued a statement on Friday expressing concern that antisemitic tropes were being invoked in a business dispute.

Ruffalo’s post reposted a year-old video of Paramount Skydance board member Safra Catz, in which she discussed the Israel-Hamas conflict, and he added commentary linking the deal’s financing to Oracle founder Larry Ellison and suggesting the acquisition would concentrate power. He later responded on X, calling the antisemitism accusation "appalling and fundamentally dishonest."

Both Jewish groups reiterated that invoking Israel in a corporate matter constitutes a “textbook case of obsession and demonization” and warned that repeated use of such language can normalize hateful attitudes.