More than 170 Jewish artists, writers and cultural figures rallied behind Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo on Tuesday after Paramount and prominent Jewish members of the entertainment industry accused him of using antisemitic tropes while campaigning against the studio’s proposed takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

The letter denounced what its signatories called an “outrageous smear campaign” against Ruffalo and rejected the contention that his criticism of Israel, the Oracle software company’s work with the Israeli military, and the Ellison family’s expanding media interests was inherently antisemitic.

Paramount CEO David Ellison is the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who is personally guaranteeing the equity needed for the acquisition; the Ellison family would control the combined company if the deal goes through, according to the LA Times.

Among the most prominent signatories was “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder, who had previously defended the 58-year-old Marvel actor against the antisemitism allegations.

Other signatories included filmmakers and performers Joel Coen, Tony Kushner, Ilana Glazer, Lisa Cholodenko and Todd Haynes.

The signatories also turned their attention to Paramount Skydance’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal Ruffalo has been a prominent opponent of.

The letter characterized the merger as “tech-driven domination” involving Larry Ellison and his business interests, while arguing that links between developments in Hollywood and the war in Gaza were legitimate subjects for criticism.

The letter described the proposed deal as “part of a larger project of tech-driven domination, a project Larry Ellison and his partners have never been shy about trumpeting — and one they themselves have explicitly linked to their support for the ongoing depredations being visited on the people of Palestine and their silencing of critics of those........

© The Times of Israel