Susan Sarandon: Hollywood Still Punishing Me for Palestine Stance

Susan Sarandon says her vocal support for Palestine continues to cost her work in Hollywood. The Oscar-winning actress revealed that she has recently lost film roles because talent agencies still warn producers against hiring her.

Sarandon made the comments this week at the Venice Film Festival, where she is promoting her new film, The Echo Chamber. Speaking with reporters, she said public opinion on the Israel-Palestine conflict has changed significantly. However, she believes major parts of Hollywood have yet to follow that shift.

“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” Sarandon said.

The actress also said she finds more opportunities internationally than within parts of the U.S. entertainment industry. She pointed to growing public awareness of America’s political and financial ties to Israel, but said that awareness has not necessarily reached Hollywood’s major studios.

Sarandon’s latest comments come nearly three years after United Talent Agency dropped her following remarks she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York in October 2023. Her comments came shortly after the Hamas attack on Israel and as the war in Gaza began. Sarandon later expressed regret over those remarks.

Since then, the actress has continued to speak publicly about Palestine and the impact of her activism on her career. Earlier this year, she discussed the difficulty she has faced finding acting work after calling for a ceasefire and criticizing the war in Gaza. Despite the challenges, Sarandon has continued to build her career outside Hollywood’s traditional system.

She currently stars in The Echo Chamber, directed by Andrea Pallaoro and based on the final screenplay written by the late Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci. The film competes for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. In the movie, Sarandon plays a singer who hires a recovering drug addict to produce her comeback album. Alicia Vikander and Luca Marinelli also star.

Sarandon praised Pallaoro for casting her despite what she described as warnings within the industry. She said she has found a supportive creative community outside Hollywood.

“I found my family, I found my people, and I’m OK,” she said.

Sarandon’s comments come as the Israel-Gaza conflict continues to spark political debate at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

Activists have called for greater recognition of Palestinian filmmakers and stories at the festival. Meanwhile, Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera said Italy’s lack of formal recognition of Palestine prevents the festival from officially raising the Palestinian flag. Barbera also pointed to several films at the festival that explore Palestinian experiences and the broader conflict.

Sarandon’s latest comments have added another dimension to the debate over political activism in Hollywood. Her experience raises questions about whether actors should face professional consequences for expressing political views and how far the entertainment industry should separate an artist’s work from their activism.