Susan Sarandon: Hollywood still won't hire me over Palestine — SkimNews
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- Susan Sarandon said at the Venice film festival that she is still losing movie roles due to her outspoken support for Palestinians, with "agencies that are telling people not to hire" her despite a broader shift in public opinion.
- Sarandon was dropped by talent agency UTA in 2023 after making remarks at pro-Palestinian rallies, including that people afraid of being Jewish "are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country."
- Sarandon, a 79-year-old Academy Award winner for Dead Man Walking, is promoting her latest film "The Echo Chamber" at Venice, where it is one of 21 films competing for the Golden Lion award to be presented on 12 September.
- Sarandon said resistance to hiring outspoken critics of Israel remained "particularly strong" among major studios, while thanking independent director Andrea Pallaoro for casting her in the role.
- Activists at the Venice film festival called on organisers to raise the Palestinian flag to honour Palestinian directors screening at the event, but artistic director Alberto Barbera said this is impossible because Italy does not formally recognise the state of Palestine.
- Sarandon told reporters the narrative "has completely changed" regarding the historical relevance of Palestine and the ties of "Zionists with America," saying Americans had not understood "how much money the United States gives to Israel."
Why it matters: Sarandon's account exposes a gap between shifting US public opinion — which polls show now favours Palestinians more — and Hollywood's institutional hiring practices, where agencies still steer major studios away from outspoken critics of Israel, costing actors like Sarandon specific roles.
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