Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon said she has “had movies taken away” because of her public support for the Palestinians.
During a press conference Sunday at the Venice Film Festival for her new film, “The Echo Chamber,” the 79-year-old actress was asked whether she believes the narrative in Hollywood is changing regarding the war in Gaza.
Susan Sarandon attends the photocall of 'The Echo Chamber' presented in competition at the 83rd International Venice Film Festival
(Photo: Tiziana Fabi / AFP))
“I think that the narrative has completely changed in terms of historical relevance of Palestine and the ties of Zionists with America and our politics. That has been a major revelation for people. How much money the United States gives to Israel, nobody really understood that,” Sarandon said.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” she continued. “But that’s the power structure. I think within the people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.”
In 2023, the Oscar-winning actress was dropped by her agency UTA after remarks she made at a pro-Palestinian rally, and earlier this year said she felt the film and television industry had ostracized her over her calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Sarandon said the director of “The Echo Chamber” was warned not to work with her but chose to ignore the warnings and collaborate with her anyway.
“I thank Andrea for that, because he doesn’t listen to the warnings,” she said.
“There has been a change in terms of the general public, but there are still positions in my industry that are held by Zionists who have not relaxed their feelings towards me,” Sarandon concluded. “But I found my family, I found my people and I’m OK.”
The Oscar winner has been known for many years for her political activism and is considered a figure on the radical left of American culture. She has repeatedly shared intense criticism of Israel on social media, including videos featuring Roger Waters and rabbis from Neturei Karta, the fringe ultra-Orthodox anti-Zionist movement that rejects the legitimacy of the State of Israel.