Hollywood has never been short on drama, and lately, the tension hasn’t stayed confined to the screen. As the industry faces another wave of consolidation, voices from inside are starting to speak up. But according to Mark Ruffalo, few Hollywood stars were “afraid” to take the risk of publicly opposing the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger.
Mark Ruffalo calls out Hollywood stars ‘afraid’ of opposing Paramount-WB merger
Mark Ruffalo has criticized a number of Hollywood stars for their hesitation to speak out against the Paramount-WB merger, despite growing concerns over its impact on the industry.
In a recent New York Times op-ed co-written with Matt Stoller, research director at the American Economic Liberties Project, Ruffalo revealed that many A-listers declined to sign a recent open letter opposing the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger. The op-ed also cites two recent instances of blacklisting tied to the Paramount-WB merger.
“The most revealing thing about that letter wasn’t the people who signed. It was the people who didn’t. Not because they disagreed — because they were afraid,” Ruffalo and Stoller stated. “There are many reasons to block this deal, but we now believe the most fundamental one is what we encountered when asking artists to use their voices: fear. A deep, ugly and pervasive fear of speaking out.”
According to the BlockTheMerger.com letter, filmmakers and TV professionals oppose the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger for worsening media consolidation. They warn that the merger would reduce competition, limit opportunities for creators, and cut jobs across production. As a result, costs would rise, global audience choice would shrink, and only four major U.S. studios would remain.
Circulating since April, the open letter has garnered signatures from more than 4,000 members of the Hollywood community. Notable signatories include actors Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, and Edward Norton, as well as celebrated directors Yorgos Lanthimos, Sofia Coppola, and Denis Villeneuve.
With 75 Oscar winners among its 4,000+ signatories, the group behind the open letter plans to continue fighting the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger. The deal still needs U.S. and European regulatory approval and could draw legal challenges from state attorneys general.
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi on Mandatory.
