Susan Sarandon has reflected on being dumped by her agent and her fears of never working in Hollywood again, following her controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally last November.
The Oscar-winning star, 78, has expressed his support for Palestine and has been present at several demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza since the conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out.
And last year, the legendary actress was fired by her Hollywood representative, United Talent Agency, run by Jewish CEO Jeremy Zimmer, for her comments.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star caused controversy after claiming that Jews are “getting a taste of what it’s like to be Muslim” amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York City.
She later apologized for her comments and said she had not planned to speak at the rally but had been invited to address the crowd and intended to “highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Susan Sarandon has reflected on being dumped by her agent and her fears of never working in Hollywood again, following her controversial comments at a pro-Palestine rally last November.
The Oscar-winning star, 78, has expressed his support for Palestine and has been present at several demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Now in a new interview with The times Sarah has reflected on how the controversy led to the departure of her agent and how she can no longer star in mainstream studio films.
She told the publication: ‘My agency left me, my projects were pulled. They have used me as an example of what not to do if you want to continue working.
‘There are so many people out of work since November of last year… who have lost their jobs as janitors, writers, painters, people who work in the cafeteria, substitute teachers who have been fired because they tweeted something, or “I liked a tweet or I asked for a ceasefire.”
When asked if he would ever be offered a major movie role again, he replied, “I don’t know.” Nothing from Hollywood.
In July, Susan apologized for her comments and said her “sentence was a terrible mistake” while covering the latest issue of she spain.
She also reiterated her desire to end the “genocide” in Gaza, saying she had long been motivated to stand against injustice.
On the cover of the magazine, the actress explained that her position as a famous actress is that of ‘speaker’ that allows her to give visibility to social issues.
Susan accepted that by speaking out she secured her blacklisting from a large section of the industry, and insisted that everyone must come together to prevent Israelis and Palestinians from dying, because “no one deserves to die this way.”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star caused controversy after claiming that Jews are “getting a taste of what it’s like to be Muslim” amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York.
She said: ‘Injustice has always hurt and angered me. I grew up in Washington in the 1960s, with the Vietnam War raging around that time and assassinations like those of Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr. overshadowing our culture.
‘I didn’t have to force myself to educate myself in this sense, it was the only possible option.
‘That is why I am so surprised by the misinformation that exists today, at a time when we have everything at our fingertips.
‘It is up to each of us to stop the genocide happening in Gaza, and that means stopping Israelis and Palestinians dying. Nobody deserves to die this way.
‘I understand that it is difficult to accept that we are all part of the problem, but a war like this is only forged with our taxes, with your money and mine.
“That is why it is admirable that countries like Spain, Ireland or Norway raise their voices and say: ‘We do not want to contribute to this.'”
Susan recalls: ‘I realized that my profession carried a loudspeaker with it in the 1970s, when the United States introduced the Equal Rights Amendment.
‘At one of the marches I was walking with Marlo Thomas, and she told me, ‘The only way we’re going to get on the news is for you to talk.’ And I did it, scared to death but I did it, because it’s the way of life I conceive.’
Susan has previously protested for the visibility of AIDS, to end the war in Iraq and against gun violence, even getting arrested.
She was arrested in June 2018 at the Women Disobey protests for protesting Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy of separating children from their parents.
While his second arrest was last year at a protest to increase the minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers.
He said: “It will never cease to amaze me that an American thinks that someone is desperate to enter our country, when what they are really trying to do is achieve a dignified, stable and, above all, free life.”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star already caused controversy in November after claiming that Jews “are getting a taste of what it’s like to be Muslim” amid the war with Hamas at a rally in New York City.
She apologized for her comments and said she had not planned to speak at the rally but had been invited to address the crowd and intended to “highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
But Susan acknowledged that her words ignored “centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe,” as well as recent atrocities, such as the attack on the Tree of Life synagogue.
On his Instagram, he said: “Intending to communicate my concern about a rise in hate crimes, I said that American Jews, as targets of growing anti-Semitic hatred, ‘are getting a taste of what it is to be Muslim in this country, so many times subjected to violence.’
‘This phrase was a terrible mistake, since it implies that until recently Jews have been oblivious to persecution, when the opposite is true.
‘As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jews have long known discrimination and religious violence that continues to this day.
Now, in a new interview with The Times, Sarah has reflected on how she said the controversy led to her agent’s departure and how she can no longer star in mainstream studio films.
‘I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. My intention was to show solidarity in the fight against intolerance of all kinds, and I regret that I did not achieve that.’
‘I will continue my commitment to peace, truth, justice and compassion for all people. I hope we can meet with love and a willingness to engage in dialogue, especially with those with whom we disagree.’
Susan has remained an advocate for Palestinian rights and proudly wore a pro-Palestinian button on the red carpet Thursday for the New York premiere of her new film The Fab Four.
In April, he joined a host of movie stars and directors who donated memories and time to a Cinema for Gaza auction to raise funds for humanitarian aid in Palestine, including Paul Mescal, Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Tessa Thompson, Louis Theroux, Jonathan Glazer and Stellan Skarsgard.