Mark Ruffalo Sparks Controversy Linking Oracle to Israeli Military, Paramount Responds

Actor Mark Ruffalo has reignited tensions over Paramount's $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. by connecting the deal to Oracle's military ties in Israel. Ruffalo, a vocal critic of the merger, took to Instagram to spotlight comments made by former Oracle CEO Safra Catz regarding the company’s role in supporting Israel's military efforts in Gaza. He described the ongoing conflict as a 'genocide' and accused Oracle of underpinning an 'apartheid system of oppression.'

With a following of 20.5 million, Ruffalo's posts suggested that the Ellison family—Larry Ellison, Oracle's billionaire founder and father of Paramount CEO David Ellison—are consolidating wealth and power at the expense of workers. This was not the first time he has voiced opposition to the merger, having previously testified against it in a Senate hearing and joined hundreds of actors in signing an open letter opposing the deal.

In response, Paramount issued a rare statement calling Ruffalo's remarks 'antisemitic.' The studio's representative emphasized the need to lower the rhetoric surrounding business disputes like this one and expressed concern over the use of terms that trivialize real suffering. They urged for a more constructive dialogue as the merger unfolds, emphasizing their commitment to creating diverse content.

Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com