These are not good times for Susan Sarandon’s career. The actress has taken home a Goya this very year, but despite that and the Oscar prize she won years ago, opportunities to work do not rain down on her. She has a clear reason, and it’s not the first time she speaks out: it’s for voicing support for Palestine and denouncing the genocide in Gaza, something that has earned her enemies in Hollywood.
Sarandon attended this year’s Venice International Film Festival, where she had the chance to discuss the point she stands at in her career. With 79 years behind her, she isn’t getting any younger and securing roles is harder than before, but things get worse when one actively speaks out on a matter like Israel.
Systemic Issue
Sarandon has not minced words about the problems she faces and has spoken bluntly. “I’ve been sidelined for some roles because there are agencies that tell people not to hire me.” That is what she called “the structured power,” and she asserts she is not the only one affected. It’s, in fact, very hard to survive in cinema under the current climate. “When it comes to a major studio, I think it’s not only happening to me, but also to others who have been told that it’s impossible [to push back].”
Even so, the actress remains hopeful that the perception of this issue is gradually changing. “I think the discourse has completely shifted regarding the historical relevance of Palestine and the ties between Zionists and the United States and our policy. It’s been a revelation for people to discover how much money the United States allocates to Israel,” she notes. Additionally, she is grateful to the international festivals that continue to back her outside of her country. “I feel, above all on an international level, well received.”
The Price of Silence
Sarandon is not the only one in Hollywood who has remained firm with her criticism of the Israeli government and the Gaza issue. Mark Ruffalo has also spoken out in recent years about it, and recently was accused of making anti-Semitic comments for it. Javier Bardem, who has been an important activist in favor of Palestine, has also spoken out. It seems that when speaking up on this topic there are indeed side effects in Hollywood, in one way or another.
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