Explore the cases of celebrities who have been boycotted for their support of Palestine, as well as those who, without facing the same consequences, have also expressed solidarity with the cause.
In recent years, some celebrities from Hollywood and the entertainment world have publicly expressed their support for Palestine, which has generated controversy for them. While many have praised his courage in raising their voices for the suffering of Palestinian families, others have been the target of heavy criticism and boycotts.
We start with the iconic American actress, Susan Sarandon, who has been one of the most prominent voices in defense of Palestine. Her political activism has led to her becoming a controversial figure, especially after her statements on social media and her participation in pro-Palestinian protests.
On several occasions the actress has written in account of X words like “there are many people with fear of being Jewish these days, they are testing what it feels to be a Muslim in this country.” He also said, “You don’t have to be a Palestinian to care about what’s going on in Gaza. I support Palestine.”
As a boycott the Hollywood agency representatives, United Talent Agency, of which he was part for 9 years and whose executive director is the Jew Jeremy Zimmer, fired her, claiming that they felt extremely hurt with the comments that the actress made.
Despite the events, Susan Sarandon has remained steadfast and remains a human rights advocate in the region.
Actress Susan Sarandon is not alone in the isolation of Hollywood, as Mexican actress Melissa Barrera was expelled from the cast of Scream 7 in November 2023 for sharing social media posts accusing Israel of genocide. “Gaza is being treated as a large concentration camp right now… This is a genocidal ethnic cleansing,” he wrote in an Instagram story, where he has 1.6 million followers. After the dismissal he shared a text saying: “I would rather be excluded by whom I include, than be included by whom I exclude”.
Another actor who has experienced a strong rejection is John Cusack. The well-known actor of films such as High Fidelity and Say Anything has been a strong advocate for Palestinian rights. Through his social media, Cusack has shared numerous publications criticizing the Israeli occupation and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. These statements have caused conflicts with some of the entertainment industry and have led to a boycott of some sectors.
Musical artists have also suffered the consequences of their solidarity with Palestine, singer Dua Lipa, who had been dating for a long time with Anwar Hadid, brother of the Hadids and of Palestinian descent, was sensitive to the subject, So several times he showed his support by posting in his Instagram stories by putting the hashtag #SaveSheikhJarrah, referring to the predominantly Palestinian neighborhood of Jerusalem that was badly affected during the attacks.
After this, pro-Palestinian cost him a full-page ad in The New York Times, funded by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, leader of the World Values Network. In it, she was accused of antisemitism and “denigrating the state of Israel”. Despite the controversy, and that some followers called for its public cancellation, it was not affected.
The attempt to cancel Rabbi Shmuley also reached the sisters Hadid, Gigi and Bella, have been other influential figures in space because his father is Palestinian so the situation in the Middle East is nothing foreign in their lives. Gigi has commented in her networks that she feels “deep empathy with the Palestinian struggle and their life under Israeli occupation,” while Bella has said “I suffer for the Israeli families who have been suffering since October 7. Regardless of history, I condemn terrorist attacks on any civilian and anywhere”.
Both models have spoken openly about the situation in Gaza, and their comments have been met with criticism both within and outside the fashion industry. Despite the attacks they have received, the Hadid sisters remain defenders of the Palestinian people.
Despite the boycotts and reprisals these celebrities have suffered, other actors and actresses have also expressed their support for Palestine without facing significant consequences. Personalities such as Mark Ruffalo, Olivia Wilde, and Natalie Portman have shown their solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
