Hollywood insiders lay bare ‘intimidation’ tactics by woke celebrities branded worse than the Klu Klux Klan: ‘Everyone is living in fear’

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Each celebrity who signed the pledge released on Monday was undoubtedly aware of the controversy it would cause.

Over 1,300 people in the film industry, including famous actors like Susan Sarandon, Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Joaquin Phoenix – all Oscar winners – have added their names to an open letter supporting Palestine. The letter is titled ‘Film Workers for Palestine’.

They emphasized that, given the current crisis and the role some governments are playing in the violence in Gaza, it’s crucial to actively challenge and address any involvement in the ongoing suffering.

As a long-time advocate for ethical consumption and mindful choices, I’ve been following a growing movement within the film community. Essentially, a group of artists and professionals have made a powerful commitment: they’re refusing to collaborate with any Israeli film organizations – that includes festivals, cinemas, and production companies – if those organizations are connected to, or support, actions that are considered genocide or apartheid against Palestinians. It’s a strong stance, and a clear message about where they stand on these critical issues. They’re choosing to use their platform and work to advocate for human rights and justice.

By the end of the week, the petition had gathered an impressive 4,000 signatures. It also achieved its goal of raising awareness – and, seemingly, of creating conflict – around the issue.

Several prominent figures in Hollywood have confided in the Daily Mail that recent events have made them feel hesitant and fearful about publicly expressing support for Israel.

A leading agent for several people on the pro-Palestine list stated that it feels like Hollywood is experiencing a fresh wave of censorship.

There’s a lot of public support for Palestine right now, and many celebrities are expressing that support. This makes it difficult for people with different viewpoints to share their opinions, as they worry about facing backlash or losing opportunities.

Hollywood is generally known for supporting progressive viewpoints. However, some seem to overlook the fact that the current conflict began with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th, where many innocent civilians were killed.

The agent went on to say that Hollywood celebrities often overestimate their importance and assume the public is interested in their opinions. However, most people don’t really care what celebrities think, and often feel quite the opposite.

Most people go to Hollywood movies to have fun and escape, not to be told what to think. It seems many celebrities are disconnected from everyday life and live in an echo chamber of progressive ideals.

Many people are understandably afraid of facing backlash for expressing opinions that differ from current progressive viewpoints.

Some stars who have voiced support for Israel have faced swift retribution.

Gal Gadot, known for playing the Evil Queen in the recent *Snow White* remake which received negative reviews, served in the Israeli Army and has consistently voiced her support for Israel since the attacks on October 7th. She previously suggested the film’s poor performance in theaters was due to criticism linked to her views on Israel.

Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler, who is a strong supporter of Palestine, starred together in the live-action Snow White. The two actresses reportedly didn’t get along well during filming, and Disney apparently kept them separated during promotional events.

Gal Gadot believed the film would be very successful, but then the events of October 7th occurred. This led to significant pressure across many industries, not just Hollywood, for public figures – celebrities, actors, and creators – to publicly condemn Israel.

It finally happened. I consistently try to help people understand the situation and the reality in Israel, and I always make that effort.

Ultimately, audiences decide for themselves what they think. I was just upset that the film seemed so influenced by everything surrounding it.

The production was overwhelmed by political issues, leading some to call its failure a turning point – a sign that overly political displays by celebrities were alienating viewers.

It seems many actors and film professionals – thousands, in fact – who pledged to boycott weren’t aware of the details.

A source close to the situation told the Daily Mail that it’s unfair for actors to boycott an entire country’s film industry.

Discriminating against people just because they were born in Israel is prejudiced and unfair. It directly contradicts the principles of free speech that many in Hollywood claim to support.

It’s ironic that the people who signed the letter don’t seem to realize how extreme they’re being. They’re acting as if you’re either with them or against them, which is a form of intimidation.

It’s best if they focus on filmmaking and let experts handle complex real-world issues.

A Disney executive who saw how the situation with Snow White unfolded described it as simple censorship, and questioned who was deciding to boycott these Israeli organizations.

As I see it, this completely prohibits all films from Israel. It doesn’t seem fair to punish the entire industry like that.

As a huge Disney fan and someone who keeps up with industry news, I’m hearing this letter is *all* anyone in Hollywood is talking about! It’s been the biggest buzz in studios and agencies all week, apparently. Everyone’s discussing it!

‘So many people disagree with it, but everyone is terrified to speak out.

It’s clear what happens when someone publicly disagrees with current progressive viewpoints – they often face backlash and are effectively ostracized. Interestingly, many influential people in Hollywood actually support Israel, but they’re afraid of the consequences of expressing that support openly.

This is causing major disruption in the film industry. People are worried about saying anything that could cost them their careers.

Ben Simon, who leads Israel’s screenwriters union, said the boycott is a serious concern and won’t achieve positive results.

For many years, Israeli artists and storytellers – including myself – have focused on portraying the complicated truths of our lives through our work.

We consistently share the stories of Palestinians, offer criticism of government actions, and highlight the wide range of viewpoints within our community.

‘This could silence the very voices that work tirelessly for reconciliation and understanding.’

The ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel is starting to disrupt major film festivals around the world.

A film called ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’, focusing on the tragic death of a five-year-old girl in Gaza, earned a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. The film, which supports the Palestinian cause, also has the backing of Brad Pitt.

Director Kaouther Ben Hania reported receiving a huge number of threatening messages – ‘thousands and thousands,’ she said.

The Israeli film ‘The Road Between Us,’ about a father’s journey to find his son following the October 7th attacks, was briefly removed from the Toronto Film Festival lineup but has since been added back in.

The director of that film also received death threats.

Okay, I’m just *livid* about this! Rabbi Hier, the amazing founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center – and an actual Academy Award winner, twice! – just told the Daily Mail what I’ve been thinking all along. He said it’s totally outrageous that Hollywood, a place built on *making stuff up*, is pretending to be experts on things they clearly don’t understand. He basically said they should just stick to fantasy and leave the facts to people who *know* what they’re talking about. Honestly, he’s so right! It’s infuriating to see them pontificating when they clearly have no clue!

Indeed, the rabbi has won two Academy Awards. He received them for his work on the 1981 documentary *Genocide*, which focused on the Holocaust, where he was a co-producer and co-writer, and for co-producing the 1997 documentary *The Long Way Home*, detailing the hardships faced by many Holocaust survivors.

He stated that supporting Hamas is comparable to supporting Nazi Germany and Hitler during World War II.

Israel is a democratic country, and its opponents are engaging in terrorism. It’s a clear choice of which side to support. We must confront terrorism and align ourselves with justice. Those who signed this letter, in our view, are taking the wrong stance.

Jerry Seinfeld is a high-profile celebrity who hasn’t hesitated to voice his strong support for Israel. This stance has led to protests at his shows and interruptions during his performances by pro-Palestinian activists.

I was really shocked to hear Jerry Seinfeld speak at Duke University this Tuesday. He made a truly disturbing comparison, saying he’d actually have more respect for members of the KKK than for people who support Palestinian freedom. It was a really jarring thing to hear, and honestly, I’m still processing it.

As a longtime fan, I was really disappointed to hear the comedian say something so troubling during his recent show. Reports from the Duke University Chronicle said he essentially equated supporting Palestinian freedom with antisemitism, claiming it’s just a way of saying you dislike Jewish people. It felt like a really harmful and unfair connection to make, and honestly, it left me questioning a lot.

He argued that simply saying “Free Palestine” doesn’t reveal a person’s true beliefs. He went on to surprisingly suggest that the Ku Klux Klan is almost preferable because they openly state their hateful views – specifically, their dislike of Black and Jewish people – which he considered to be a form of honesty.

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2025-09-14 21:24