Fonda rushes to defend Mark Ruffalo against antisemitism accusation, says Larry Ellison 'should be ashamed'
Jane Fonda defends Mark Ruffalo after Paramount accuses actor of antisemitism over proposed merger
Washington, D.C. — Actress‑activist Jane Fonda took to the stage at the Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) awards on Thursday to back fellow actor Mark Ruffalo, who has been the target of a controversy that began when Paramount Pictures alleged that Ruffalo’s public criticism of a potential Warner Bros. Discovery‑Paramount merger contained antisemitic tropes.
Paramount’s claim was prompted by a video Ruffalo shared in August of Oracle executive Safra Catz, a member of Paramount’s board, speaking about technology Oracle was using to aid Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Ruffalo linked Oracle’s founder Larry Ellison—father of Paramount CEO David Ellison—to the financing behind the merger and warned that the deal could be used to “push oppression.” “These ‘really profoundly scary technologies’ will most likely be merged into one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and one day used on you,” Ruffalo said. “Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide… powered by Oracle.”
Paramount’s response was swift. The company said the allegation that Ruffalo was antisemitic was “appalling and fundamentally dishonest,” arguing that criticizing Israeli policy and technology contractors is not the same as harassing Jewish people. Ruffalo, in a statement to Fox News Digital, called the charge “appalling” and stressed that his “deep love and respect” for Jewish colleagues made any antisemitic interpretation impossible.
Fonda’s remarks, made on the evening of the DVF awards, focused on the personal nature of the accusations. “Larry Ellison, because he doesn’t like Mark Ruffalo’s position on the merger, accuses him of antisemitism when he said nothing that isn’t within his constitutional right to say,” she said, adding that she had received “a lot of support” for Ruffalo. She went on to criticize the merger’s economic implications, noting that the combined debt of the companies would lead to higher consumer prices, job losses, and diminished bargaining power for unions and creators.
“Thousands and thousands of people would lose their jobs, and as a creative, the fewer studios there are, the fewer places that we can take our products,” Fonda said. She also stated that while she respects David Ellison personally, she does not view the merger as a personal attack.
The backlash to Paramount’s accusation has been swift within the entertainment community. A letter signed by more than 180 Jewish artists, writers, and faith leaders was released on Tuesday, condemning the “false and dangerous weaponization” of antisemitism charges. The letter, shared by Variety, urged the public to recognize that “the assault on the Palestinian people and the assault on our liberties at home are deeply interconnected,” and that “there is nothing antisemitic about recognizing that fact.”
Christian Toto, an editor for Hollywood in Toto, criticized Fonda’s defense. “Jane Fonda isn’t dumb,” Toto wrote. “She uses old‑school misdirection to protect Mark Ruffalo from his own words.” He argued that Ruffalo’s comments were an attempt to tie the merger to Israeli policy, a move that drew criticism for portraying Israel as a “genocidal state.”
Beyond the immediate controversy, Fonda spoke in the interview about broader political themes. “I’ve had my life,” she told reporters. “President Donald Trump can do nothing to me. I’m not scared,” she said, adding that she was concerned about the growing influence of large tech data centers on local communities.
Paramount has not yet responded to a request for comment on the situation. The proposed merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount, which has faced scrutiny from regulators and a pending lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice, remains in limbo while the debate over its political and economic implications intensifies.