'Shame on Hollywood': Cannes-winning writer rails at stance on Gaza
Laverty said Hollywood is sidelining outspoken actors while condemning Gaza violence and warning that Big Tech and artificial intelligence are reshaping the industry.
- On Tuesday, Cannes Film Festival jury member and screenwriter Paul Laverty criticized Hollywood for allegedly blacklisting actors Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem, and Mark Ruffalo for their pro-Gaza views.
- Sarandon, whose character appears on the official 2026 Cannes poster, revealed earlier this year that she lost her Hollywood agent after publicly calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
- "Shame on Hollywood people who do that," Laverty said, referencing the alleged blacklisting of artists while praising the French festival's inclusive poster despite recent criticisms of "feminism washing."
- Defending the place of politics in film, Cannes jury president and South Korean director Park Chan-wook stated that art and politics are not concepts that conflict with each other.
- As the festival runs until May 23, Laverty warned against "the concentration of power" by Big Tech, specifically noting Meta's multi-year sponsorship deal with the event.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Cannes juror slams Hollywood for blacklisting actors who oppose Gaza war
A Cannes Film Festival juror has criticised Hollywood for “blacklisting” actors such as Susan Sarandon for opposing the Gaza war. The 79-year-old actor, whose character in Thelma and Louise features on a 2026 poster for the international film festival, was dropped by her agency in 2023 in what she says was a response to her “marching and speaking out about Gaza”. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday (12 May), writer Paul Laverty mentioned t…
Cannes Film Festival jury member rips Hollywood for blacklisting stars like Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem for Gaza support —but some question his motivation
Tuesday’s Cannes jury press conference saw reporters lobing politically loaded questions against the backdrop of a frayed geopolitical order, from Ukraine to Gaza to Iran.
‘Shame on Hollywood’: Cannes jury member Paul Laverty calls out industry for blacklisting actors who oppose war in Gaza
At the jury press conference on the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival, member Paul Laverty expressed his solidarity for those who are blacklisted.
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