Susan Sarandon, a prominent American actress with a substantial following worldwide, has caused outrage for making antisemitic statements directed towards both the Jewish people and State. The "Thelma and Louise'' star has a long history of exhibiting antisemitic behavior, and the past few years have seen some of her worst moments yet.
On May 26, 2021, Susan Sarandon faced backlash for endorsing Bella Hadid and commending her as "brave" for standing up for her community. Just days prior, Bella Hadid had marched through the streets alongside a group of Palestinian men who brutally assaulted a Jewish man to the point of hospitalization. Upon their arrest, one of the individuals defiantly proclaimed their intent to repeat the violent act.
In March 2023, Roger Waters' concert in Frankfurt faced cancellation due to his persistent expression of antisemitic views, notably featuring a giant pig adorned with a Star of David during the show. Waters further drew controversy by drawing an inappropriate comparison between Anne Frank and the unfortunate death of a journalist in the West Bank. Petitions in support gained momentum, with Susan Sarandon prominently endorsing and topping the list of supporters.
On November 10th, thousands of violent pro-Hamas supporters gathered in New York City to protest Israel, shutting down Grand Central Station. The crowd became aggressive, damaging police cars and attempting to breach the station doors while chanting: "Intifada," accusing Israel of genocide and praising the Palestinian "resistance." Sarandon made an unannounced appearance and told the crowd, "So many people do not understand the context in which this October 7 assault happened. They don't understand the history of what has been happening to the Palestinian people." She added, "It's time to have an open heart. It's time to be strong, and it's time that Palestine be free." She shockingly failed to denounce Hamas or demand for the return of hostages.
On November 17th, Susan Sarandon attended another Pro-Hamas rally in New York City. At the rally, Sarandon stated, "There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence." These comments drew worldwide condemnation as antisemitism has been skyrocketing for Jewish Americans since the 10/7 terror attacks to the point where the FBI is now getting involved.
As a consequence, Sarandon's talent agency, United Talent Agency, swiftly parted ways with the Hollywood star and she was dropped by a production company that was considering her for a short film.