Jane Fonda defends Mark Ruffalo amid Paramount's antisemitism allegation

At the Diane von Furstenberg Awards, Jane Fonda rallied to Mark Ruffalo’s defense after Paramount charged him with invoking antisemitic tropes. She blamed Larry Ellison, a major Oracle shareholder, for the accusation, calling it a strategy to mute criticism of the Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount merger.

Ruffalo’s earlier comments tied the deal to Oracle’s technology used in Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks and warned it could be used to oppress. He has denied any hostility toward Jewish people, emphasizing his personal respect for the community. A coalition of more than 180 Jewish entertainers issued a statement backing Ruffalo and rejecting the smear. Fonda added that the merger would increase consumer costs, result in massive job losses, and diminish studios’ bargaining power, while noting her personal admiration for David Ellison despite the dispute.