George Clooney defends Mark Ruffalo after Paramount antisemitism accusation

George Clooney has spoken out in defense of Mark Ruffalo after Paramount's antisemitism accusation. The Ocean's Eleven star backed the Marvel star during the press conference at the Venice Film Festival, saying that he supports Mark Ruffalo's "ability to speak freely."

He said that banning speech was "ridiculous" and stated that he believes in free speech, even when he strongly disagrees with what is being said. Clooney's comments come after Paramount called out Ruffalo for antisemitism over his recent comments regarding the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. deal and Oracle's ties to Israel.

More on the story below.

What did George Clooney say in defense of Mark Ruffalo?

George Clooney received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Venice Film Festival. Clooney spoke at a press conference on Wednesday, where he discussed politics, AI, and the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and defended Mark Ruffalo, saying he supports Mark Ruffalo's right to speak freely.

He added that he believes in free speech, even when he disagrees with what someone says, and said that it is an important part of democracy. Speaking of the topic, George Clooney further said that it is normal for people to disagree with him and that they should discuss their differences and reach a conclusion based on the information they have. Ending the statement, he said that he will always support Ruffalo's right to free speech, saying that he likes him and believes he is a good man.

Clooney also shared his concerns about the proposed merger, saying he is unsure how it would make financial sense for the people behind the deal. He explained that he has always been worried when one large company takes over another, especially because big changes in the industry can leave many people without jobs.

Clooney also raised concerns about the state of journalism. He said it was worrying that some of the richest people in the world now own major news platforms. However, he also showed hope and said that he believes there is still "room for good journalists" and that information will continue to reach people.

Last week, Mark Ruffalo also posted a tweet on X (formerly Twitter) saying that calling him antisemitic was completely unfair and dishonest. Ruffalo added that the merger could have a real impact on people and the country, adding that:

"The $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions has never been fully explained to the public."

Concluding his statement, Ruffalo also pointed to lawmakers from both parties who have raised concerns about the deal. He further said the questions around the merger need to be properly looked into before it moves forward.

Ruffalo has also reportedly found support from many others, including Emma Seligman, Jane Schoenbrun, Hannah Einbinder, Joel Coen, Ilana Glazer, Naomi Klein, David Mivasair, and Gabor Maté. George Clooney's recent statement in defense of the actor adds another high-profile voice to those standing with Ruffalo.

Recently, Hannah Einbinder has also spoken about the Paramount merger, in which she said that no matter what Paramount promises, the deal could lead to big layoffs and cuts to programming.

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Also Read: What happened between Mark Ruffalo and Paramount? Actor responds to the film studio’s antisemitism accusations

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