“I am Jewish”: Writer defends Mark Ruffalo against Paramount’s “antisemitic” jab saying it’s a tired smear campaign

Writer and artist Jesse Mechanic has come out in defense of actor Mark Ruffalo on Threads, following the studio's accusation that the actor used antisemitic rhetoric in his criticism of the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.

Mechanic wrote in his post that he has no personal relationship with The Avengers actor, and added that he can say with conviction that Ruffalo:

“…opposes imperialism, violence, genocide, systemic oppression, and the consolidation of corporate power.”

Mechanic then added that he has never seen Ruffalo speaking in opposition to Jewish people. His post read:

“I am Jewish and have never once seen him say anything against Jewish people. This is such a tired smear, deployed by Israel supporters over and over again for decades to scare people away from criticizing them. We’ve all seen it 1,000 times. It’s as predictable as it is desperate.”

Continue to read for more details.

What did Mark Ruffalo say on Paramount’s “antisemitic” jab against him?

Mark Ruffalo responded to the backlash over the proposed Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, saying that his remarks targeted political and corporate actions rather than Jewish people.

In a lengthy post on X, shared on August 22, 2026, the 58-year-old actor stated that criticizing a government leader, a military technology contract, or corporate executives is not the same as criticizing Jewish people. His post read:

“The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest.”

Ruffalo added that he has no “hostility” towards Jewish people for whom he shares “deep love and respect.” He continued to give credit to his Jewish friends and colleagues who imparted knowledge in him on “acting, activism, and humanism.”

The 13 Going on 30 actor maintained that his criticism of the Ellisons, Oracle's military-linked tech contracts, and the $111 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger is fair, necessary, and focused on corporate and editorial accountability. He also claimed that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for a national security review and argued that the deal should not proceed without greater public clarity.

Mark Ruffalo’s view on Paramount and Warner Bros merger

Mark Ruffalo has strongly opposed the proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery multiple times since at least early 2026.

According to a report in The Independent, Mark Ruffalo has joined 1,000 industry professionals, including actors like Jane Fonda and Joaquin Phoenix, in signing an open letter on BlocktheMerger.com to block the $110+ billion deal. The letter stated:

“We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritise the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good. The integrity, independence and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised. Competition is essential for a healthy economy and a healthy democracy. So is thoughtful regulation and enforcement.”

The letter warned the merger would cut jobs and reduce audience choice. Denis Villeneuve, Boots Riley, Mimi Leder and Nicole Holofcener were among the directors who signed the letter. Ramy Youssef, Jason Bateman and Ted Danson were some names from the television industry.

In May 2026, Mark Ruffalo spoke out on the I’ve Had It podcast, stating he knew he was “on a list” of blacklisted stars for fighting the acquisition. Ruffalo made headlines once again in August 2026 on the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger when he escalated his criticism on Instagram.

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He reshared a clip to his Instagram Story of Oracle’s executive vice chair Safra Catz speaking about making Oracle's "profoundly scary technology" available to assist the Israeli military following the October 7, 2023, attacks. He captioned the post by criticizing Larry Ellison as an "oligarch," accusing the family of profiting from technology tied to conflict in Gaza.

In their response, Paramount Skydance slammed Ruffalo's comments and issued a statement in which they accused him of invoking "antisemitic tropes" and said that the application of words like 'genocide' and 'apartheid' to a corporate transaction cheapens real suffering.

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