Celebrity News
Susan Sarandon Says She’s Had ‘Movies Taken Away’ Over Support for Palestine
Nearly three years after her talent agency cut ties with her, Susan Sarandon says she’s still paying a professional price for speaking out in support of Palestinians.
Variety reported on Sunday, September 6, that Thelma & Louise star, 79, addressed the impact on her career while appearing at the Venice Film Festival, where she was promoting her new film, The Echo Chamber.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” the Oscar winner said. “But that’s the power structure. I think [among] people, certainly internationally, I feel welcome.”
Sarandon said some people in powerful industry positions have “not relaxed their feelings towards me.”
She thanked The Echo Chamber director Andrea Pallaoro for hiring her despite what she described as warnings not to. Sarandon said she continues to lose roles over her advocacy. The actress has publicly advocated for Palestinians and called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Guardian reported in 2023 that United Talent Agency dropped her as a client in November 2023 after comments she made during a pro-Palestinian rally drew criticism.
Sarandon later apologized for those remarks, saying her intention had been to “communicate my concern for an increase in hate crimes” against Jewish Americans, as reported by People.
She acknowledged her “phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true.”
The actress also reflected personal fallout in a 2024 interview with Variety, saying she had “lost work” and become estranged from “friends and family.” At the same time, she said the experience had “also gained inspiration from those who care enough about humanity and believe enough in the possibility of a better world to raise their voices to stop genocide.”
Despite the career setbacks she describes, Sarandon has continued working, with recent credits including Blue Beetle and The Six Triple Eight.
