Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon has claimed her outspoken support for Palestinians has damaged her career in the American film industry because of “Zionists” within its “power structure”.
“I’ve still had movies taken away recently because there are agencies that are telling people not to hire me still,” she said.
The 79-year-old actress recently spoke at the Venice Film Festival, where she was promoting her new film The Echo Chamber, taking aim at the political forces she says have shaped her career.
Sarandon attributed her career difficulties to what she described as a “power structure” within the film industry.
"I think that the narrative has completely changed in terms of the historical relevance of Palestine and the ties of Zionists with America and our politics,” she said.
“That has been a major revelation for people, how much money the United States gives to Israel; nobody really understood that.
The Dead Man Walking star was dropped by her longstanding talent agency, UTA, in 2023 after remarks she made while attending pro-Palestinian rallies following the October 7 attacks.
At the time, she said: “There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country.”
She later apologised, saying the remark “implied that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true”.
UTA, whose CEO Jeremy Zimmer is Jewish, had worked with Sarandon since 2014.
During her Venice appearance, Sarandon also said she was grateful to Andrea Pallaoro, director of The Echo Chamber, for not "listening to the warnings" from those opposed to her working in the cinema industry.
“I think there has been a change in terms of understanding of the situation and, I think, the general public, but there are still very strongly held positions within my industry that are held by Zionists, and who have not relaxed their feelings towards me,” she added.
“But I found my family, I found my people, and I’m OK.”
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