Susan Sarandon has been dropped by UTA after she made controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally in New York on Nov. 17, Variety has confirmed.
Sarandon said at the rally, “There are a lot of people that are afraid, that are 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.” She told protesters to have conversations with Jewish Americans, who don’t feel safe amid the rise of antisemitism in the country.
Muslim American journalist Asra Nomani responded to Sarandon’s comments in a lengthy post on X, writing “Please don’t minimize the experience of Jewish Americans by sanitizing the hell that it is for Muslims living in Muslim countries and vilifying America for the life — and freedoms — she offers Muslims like my family. Go, live like a Muslim woman in a Muslim country. You will come back to America and kiss the land beneath your feet.”
Sarandon has also come under scrutiny for sharing pro-Palestine posts on X, including posts by Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters, who has been accused of antisemitism in the past.
Popular on Variety
The UTA news comes after Hollywood has become divided over the Israel-Hamas War. Last month, CAA agent Maha Dakhil resigned from the agency’s internal board after making controversial comments on social media regarding Israel. She also stepped away from her leadership duties as co-head of the motion pictures department. Dakhil shared a social media post that read, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide,” followed by posts that read, “That’s the line for me” and “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.”
Dakhil later apologized, saying, “I made a mistake with a repost in my Instagram story, which used hurtful language. Like so many of us, I have been reeling with heartbreak. I pride myself on being on the side of humanity and peace. I’m so grateful to Jewish friends and colleagues who pointed out the implications and further educated me. I immediately took the repost down. I’m sorry for the pain I have caused.”
