Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon issued an apology for her comments about Jews at a pro-Palestine rally last month, saying her choice of words “was a terrible mistake.”
Ms. Sarandon took the stage at a pro-Palestine rally on Nov. 17 in New York City, proclaiming that Jews are “getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence.”
“This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true,” Ms. Sarandon wrote Friday on Instagram. “As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe, to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, PA, Jews have long been familiar with discrimination and religious violence which continues to this day.”
She continued, “I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity in the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so.”
The actress said she had not intended to speak at the rally, but was invited to the stage to say a few words.
United Talent Agency dropped Ms. Sarandon as a client days later after employees said they were hurt by her remarks.
Ms. Sarandon’s comments come as antisemitic rhetoric skyrockets around the country after Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis.
The onslaught caused divisions in Hollywood. Most recently, “Scream VII” actress Melissa Barrera was fired from that production for sharing a social media post that accused Israel of “genocide and ethnic cleansing” and for sharing a Jewish Currents article from Holocaust historian Raz Segal that called Israel’s campaign on the Gaza Strip “a textbook case of genocide.”
