Susan Sarandon said at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday that she has had film roles taken away because agencies are telling people not to hire her over her stance on Gaza. Sarandon was asked whether the mood in Hollywood on the conflict has been shifting. "The narrative has completely changed," she said, according to videos posted online. "There's a lot of things that people are aware of now."
The actor noted that while she feels welcome internationally and among the general public, major studios continue to face pressure against working with her. She praised director Andrea Pallaoro for not heeding warnings when casting her in "The Echo Chamber," an Italian production she is representing at Venice. Sarandon said strong positions held within the industry by what she called "Zionists" have not softened toward her, but she said she has found support elsewhere.
Sarandon's comments come nearly two years after she was dropped by United Talent Agency in November 2023 following controversial remarks at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York. She said Jewish Americans were "getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence." She apologized in December 2023, saying the phrasing was "a terrible mistake" that diminished the long history of Jewish persecution.
"The Echo Chamber" stars Sarandon as a retired rock singer drawn back into performing. The film premiered Sunday at Venice, with fellow actors Alicia Vikander and Luca Marinelli.
