Susan Sarandon says Palestine support is costing her film roles
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Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon has said she continues to lose film roles because of her outspoken support for Palestinians, claiming that some agencies and major studios remain unwilling to hire her because of her activism.
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, where she is promoting her latest film The Echo Chamber, the 79-year-old actor said she believed public attitudes towards Palestine and US support for Israel had changed significantly since the start of the Gaza war in 2023.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” Sarandon told reporters. She said she felt welcomed internationally but claimed resistance remained particularly strong within the major studio system.
Sarandon was dropped by her longtime talent agency United Talent Agency in 2023 after remarks she made at pro-Palestinian rallies following the Hamas attack on Israel. She had said that some Jewish people were “getting a taste” of what it felt like to be Muslim in the US.
Sarandon said the wider discussion around Palestine had shifted, including greater awareness of US financial support for Israel. She also said other outspoken critics of Israel had been told they could not be hired by major studios.
The actor thanked The Echo Chamber director Andrea Pallaoro for casting her, saying she had “found my family” and “my people”.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has also featured in discussions surrounding this year’s Venice Film Festival. Activists have called on organisers to display the Palestinian flag in recognition of Palestinian directors whose films are screening at the festival.
Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera has said this is not possible because Italy does not formally recognise Palestine as a state, while pointing to films at the festival depicting the experiences of ordinary Palestinians.
The Echo Chamber, based on the final screenplay by Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, is among 21 films competing for the Golden Lion, which will be awarded on September 12.