Several prominent SAG-AFTRA members, including pro-Palestine actors like Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Melissa Barrera, and Susan Sarandon, are pressing the union’s leadership to safeguard members from potential blacklisting over pro-Palestinian stances. This push comes through an open letter, endorsed by over 700 individuals in the entertainment industry, accusing union leaders of neglecting their attempts to discuss a ceasefire statement.
The letter criticizes the union’s silence following its condemnation of the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, pointing out that SAG-AFTRA has not commented on the ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza, which, at the time of writing, have resulted in the deaths of over 41,000 Palestinians. The signatories call on Fran Drescher, the union’s president, to take a stand for a ceasefire and to protect members who are facing retaliation for their political views.
Several members have already spoken out about experiencing harassment and professional fallout due to their advocacy for Palestine. Among them is Barrera, who was removed from the cast of Scream 7 following her pro-Palestinian social media posts.
One anonymous West Coast actor described being the target of a coordinated harassment campaign, saying, “We were bombarded with hateful messages, some from high-profile producers. I feared for my career and my family’s safety.” They stressed the union’s responsibility to defend members against what they see as a modern-day version of McCarthyism, especially when it concerns speaking out on human rights issues.
In April, SAG-AFTRA acknowledged receiving these demands for action from its members. A spokesperson informed the Los Angeles Times that requests for public statements were “under review.” However, since then, members of the group SAG-AFTRA & Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire report that their repeated efforts to engage with union leadership have gone unanswered.
The open letter, which you can read here, also carries the signatures of Riz Ahmed, Busy Philipps, Indya Moore, Common, Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, and more.
