Blaming ‘Zionists,’ Susan Sarandon says she’s still losing film roles over her Gaza stance

Susan Sarandon says she is still having roles “taken away” from her in Hollywood because of her outspoken criticism of Israel over the Gaza war.

She elaborates that “there are still very strongly held positions within my industry that are held by Zionists” who feel negatively toward her.

The US film star was dropped by her agency UTA in November 2023, shortly after the Hamas-led October 7 onslaught that began the war, over controversial remarks at a pro-Palestinian rally which she later said she regretted.

Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, where she has a role in Italian film “The Echo Chamber,” she claims the “narrative” around the Gaza war and the United States’ support for Israel had “completely changed.”

“There’s a lot of things that people are aware of now,” the Oscar winner tells a press conference, referring to the extent of US financial and military aid for Israel. She mentions “the ties of Zionists with America in our politics.”

“In terms of the power structure, I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” she adds. She says later, “I think there has been a change in terms of understanding of the situation and, I think, the general public, but there are still very strongly held positions within my industry that are held by Zionists, and who have not relaxed their feelings towards me.”

“But I found my family, I found my people, and I’m okay,” she adds to a round of applause.

Susan Sarandon on whether she’s still blacklisted in Hollywood for being outspoken about Palestine, if she would work with studios again and feeling more welcome internationally: “In terms of the power structure, I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are… pic.twitter.com/iWlZAzeqM9

— Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 6, 2026

The veteran star of “Dead Man Walking” has been one of Hollywood’s most outspoken pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activists, alongside others such as Mark Ruffalo, Richard Gere and Joaquin Phoenix.

Sarandon was dropped by United Talent Agency for telling a 2023 rally that Jewish Americans were “getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country” because of rising antisemitic violence.

She issued a public apology, saying her choice of words had been a “terrible mistake” because they implied “that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true.”