Julianna Margulies pans Hollywood silence on antisemitism
Jewish actress ponders why stars aren’t speaking out against anti-Jewish sentiment stirred up amid Israel war provoked by massive Hamas terror onslaught
Julianna Margulies criticized Hollywood stars Wednesday for not rallying against a burst in antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war that was provoked when the terror group killed over 1,400 people in a massive onslaught in southern Israel earlier this month.
Margulies said she is feeling “so disheartened” by the silence, and she’s “trying to understand and work around why every single person in our industry isn’t standing up. I don’t understand. It is shocking.”
The former star of “ER” and “The Good Wife” attended the Variety Hollywood & Antisemitism Summit in Los Angeles.
“Maybe they are afraid, I honestly don’t know what they are afraid of, losing maybe followers, it’s just insane to me,” said Margulies, who is Jewish. “The last thing I thought in my life is that I would be the one actress speaking up for Jews.”
She urged others to “come out and talk and use their voice and use their platform to draw attention to this.”
Pro-Palestinian rallies have been held in the US and cities across the world condemning Israel, while Jewish communities have reported a spike in antisemitic incidents, many of which have referred to the unfolding conflict.
Margulies also spoke against Jewish tropes in movies and pondered why it is that a character — including “Laura Peterson” whom she plays on “The Morning Show” — can casually wear a cross or other talisman, but not a Star of David.
“On TV, characters are not ever wearing the Star of David,” she said.
Julianna Margulies condemns silence from Hollywood on antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war: "I've been trying to get past feeling so disheartened by it…and understand why every single person in our industry isn't standing up…It is shocking." https://t.co/A48SVrItiz pic.twitter.com/rirP7Gbuc7
— Variety (@Variety) October 18, 2023
There has been some support from Hollywood A-listers as Israel responds to the Hamas October 7 assault in which 2,500 gunmen invaded the country and slaughtered over 1,000 civilians, including men, women and children of all ages.
Last Friday, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino made a surprise solidarity visit to southern Israel, which is still being bombarded with rockets from the Gaza Strip. Tarantino met with IDF soldiers who are massing as part of the military response, which has seen intensive airstrikes on Hamas targets ahead of an expected ground offensive.
Social media lit up with selfies and videos of the creator of “Kill Bill” and “Inglourious Basterds” alongside soldiers and local residents.
Tarantino is married to Israeli performer and model Daniella Pick, the daughter of iconic songwriter and performer Svika Pick. He met his future wife in Israel in 2009 and they began a serious relationship in 2016, marrying under a huppah, or Jewish wedding canopy, in 2018. The couple have two children and split their time between Israel and abroad.
