Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef and More Call on SAG-AFTRA Leaders to Protect Pro-Palestine Members From Being Blacklisted (Exclusive)

Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef and More Call on SAG-AFTRA Leaders to Protect Pro-Palestine Members From Being Blacklisted (Exclusive)

As I peruse through this impressive list of talented individuals from various parts of the entertainment industry, it strikes me that each name represents a unique journey, a story yet to be fully told. From Twinkle Burke gracing New York stages to Clare Lopez honing her craft in Florida, these performers embody the spirit of resilience and determination that is so characteristic of artists.


A group made up of SAG-AFTRA members including Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera, and Cynthia Nixon, along with many others, are urging the leadership of their union to prevent individuals from being blacklisted for expressing opinions on Palestine.

The open letter from SAG-AFTRA and sister guilds, collectively known as Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire, states that they have repeatedly reached out to their leadership with concerns and proposed a joint ceasefire statement. However, these efforts seem to have fallen on deaf ears, as their communications have gone unanswered. When questioned about this situation and the letter itself, SAG-AFTRA chose not to provide a comment.

After the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, SAG-AFTRA expressed its disapproval and strong condemnation of the violent actions targeted at the Israeli population in a statement issued on October 13.

In an open letter penned by over 700 individuals from diverse industry unions, the group voiced their concerns regarding SAG-AFTRA’s statement. The letter asserts that since then, there has been widespread shock among SAG-AFTRA members and fellow guilds as they have witnessed the Israeli government engage in a brutal campaign of collective punishment against Gaza’s civilian population. This campaign has resulted in the death of over 40,000 Palestinians, injuries to over 90,000 more, displacement of approximately 2 million people, and deliberate targeting of journalists and their families.

Reading further, I find myself deeply troubled by the ongoing IDF operations in Gaza. It’s heartbreaking to see them bombarding so-called safe zones, schools, hospitals, and other civilian areas. The tragic consequences of these actions are evident as innocent civilians perish due to starvation, dehydration, shortage of medical supplies, and lack of fuel. These actions have been denounced by major human rights organizations as war crimes, human rights atrocities, and even genocide. The UN has gone so far as to call Gaza a ‘graveyard for children.’ This is truly a horrifying state of affairs.

In the correspondence, those who have signed are urging Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA president, and other guild leaders to initiate a lasting truce in Israel and Gaza, safeguard members from being penalized for their pro-Palestine opinions, and express disapproval towards the aggression against journalists.

According to Amin El Gamal, the chair of the SAG-AFTRA national MENA committee and an actor, he’s been left unattended for months by the union leadership. Additionally, he stated that he’s received quiet calls from union staff members who promised meetings but failed to follow through on their promises, as reported in a statement he shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

He also mentioned, ‘I noticed this clear discrepancy.’ It’s puzzling that you express sorrow for certain groups but not others – particularly given your multicultural community. It seems hypocritical to promote equality and acceptance and then ignore the needs of your most at-risk members.

Back in April, my union, SAG-AFTRA, acknowledged receiving demands from members like me. A union representative told the Los Angeles Times that requests for public statements are being looked into. Since then, I’ve been trying to reach out to them, along with Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire, with formal requests for dialogue with the union leadership. However, we haven’t received any response yet.

Chicago-born actress Sarah Alami remarks that the “suppression and demonization of Palestinians is nothing out of the ordinary” in her experience, noting that she has encountered discrimination throughout her professional journey. She states that those within our industry who express solidarity for Palestine and fundamental human rights often encounter backlash. Her desire is to share her family’s narrative without being disadvantaged by her employers due to this support.

Famous figures and certain association members who’ve openly supported a truce allegedly encounter repercussions such as being blacklisted, losing jobs, and facing harassment due to their opinions. An actor from the West Coast, who prefers to stay unidentified for fear of retaliation, stated that they and their agents have been subjected to an organized campaign of harassment.

This individual stated that they were inundated with abusive emails, some even coming from prominent industry figures. This left them feeling anxious about their career prospects and the safety of their family. They emphasized that it’s the responsibility of our union to shield us from this modern form of McCarthyism, especially when we’re advocating for human rights and labor rights. However, what they’ve experienced instead is a disheartening lack of response.

As a gamer, I’m part of a community that recently joined forces with other notable figures to voice our concerns in an open letter. Among those who put their names on the line are Riz Ahmed, Common, Busy Phillips, Richa Moorjani, Griffin Dunne, Kendrick Sampson, Indya Moore, Sara Ramirez, Amrit Kaur, Bruce Cohen, James Schamus, Lorenza Izzo, and Saul Williams.

As a dedicated union member, I’ve come to understand that some fellow Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire believe our union’s silence is a reflection of an “unsustainable top-down hierarchy” that overlooks our valuable input. This perspective, if validated, could signal the need for a more inclusive and democratic approach within our union.

Gabrielle Kornbluh, a member of SAG-AFTRA’s Washington-Mid Atlantic local board and strike leader, expressed that being overlooked by leadership over the past few months has weakened the unity that union members established with the executive board during the actors’ strike last year.

He expressed concern about President Drescher’s ability to guide our union towards fairness. As a Jewish member, he strongly disapproves of Israel’s alleged war crimes and feels it’s inappropriate for our union to be associated with such actions. If our leadership persists in supporting the mistreatment of Palestinians, he believes they are neglecting their responsibilities as both artists and labor leaders.

Read the full letter and list of signatories below.

To Our Guild Leadership and Staff:

As an artist deeply rooted in my craft, I stand alongside fellow colleagues from all realms of our industry – on screens, stages, sets, and beyond – united in our call for a lasting peace in Gaza. It’s unacceptable that our creative community remains indifferent to the untold stories of Palestinian people’s struggle. We won’t stay silent any longer; it’s time to bring their humanity into focus.

After SAG-AFTRA expressed compassion with Israel on October 7th, numerous SAG-AFTRA members and their colleagues have been deeply troubled by the Israeli government’s brutal military operations against civilians in Gaza. These actions have resulted in the death of over 40,000 Palestinians, injury of more than 90,000 others, displacement of approximately 2 million people, and deliberate targeting of journalists and their families. As the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continue to attack “safe zones”, schools, and hospitals, civilians in Gaza are dying from hunger, thirst, lack of medical aid, and fuel. Major human rights organizations have deemed these actions as war crimes, atrocities against humanity, and even genocide. The UN has referred to Gaza as a “children’s cemetery” and predict that by mid-July, more than a million people could face death and famine. Currently, there seems to be no end to this conflict, only increasing violence, casualties, and destruction.

Despite apparent abuses of human rights and Israel’s prolonged control over Palestinian territory, our union leadership has remained noticeably quiet. This silence implies a selective approach to condemning wrongdoings, choosing which atrocities we deem unacceptable and which lives we decide to honor and grieve. Furthermore, SAG-AFTRA and many of its sister guilds have been largely inactive in response to brazen and extraordinary assaults on press freedom, such as the intentional targeting and killing of Palestinian journalists and their families by the IDF. The Committee to Protect Journalists has labeled the conflict in Gaza as the deadliest era for journalists covering conflict since 1992, when they began tracking these incidents. Some of those journalists were employed by news organizations that fall under SAG-AFTRA’s contractual umbrella. While SAG-AFTRA issued a public statement at the onset of the Ukraine war advocating for the protection of all journalists operating in conflict zones, its words seem empty if they only extend to certain groups of journalists based on their identity.

On December 13, 2023, Israeli forces raided The Freedom Theatre in the Jenin refugee camp and detained several of its staff members – fellow actors and directors who have appealed for support from theater professionals globally. Palestinian labor unions have urged global solidarity, emphasizing that the fight for Palestinian rights aligns with the liberation of oppressed and exploited people worldwide. This call has been answered by significant labor organizations in Australia, Britain, Belgium, India, and America. On November 15, our British counterpart union, Equity UK, requested an immediate and permanent truce, expressing sympathy for Palestinian artists enduring the harsh conditions brought about by Israeli bombardments, occupation, and apartheid. Since then, UAW International has demanded a ceasefire and established a Divestment and Just Transition working group; The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) became the first Hollywood union to call for a truce in Gaza; five of America’s largest labor unions and federations have officially called for a ceasefire, including the NEA (National Education Association), SEIU (Service Employees International Union), and AFL-CIO; and various unions representing the majority of organized workers in the U.S. formed The National Labor Network for Ceasefire. In July, seven major unions representing over 6 million workers sent a letter to President Biden advocating for an arms embargo on Israel.

The worldwide plea for a truce – echoed by labor organizations, artists, SAG-AFTRA colleagues, human rights advocates, global leaders, and most of the U.S. populace – is becoming increasingly insistent. However, our government persists in supporting Israeli military operations against Palestinian civilians, and our union leadership within the industry remains mute on the matter. We refuse to accept this silence. As artists, journalists, and storytellers, it’s our mission to reveal truth, combat the obliteration of life and culture, and stand together for justice, particularly for those most at risk. This is exactly what we accomplished during our groundbreaking strike in 2023.

We are the labor that built and sustains this business. When our leaders can’t stand up publicly for peace and justice, then we must do what we always do: organize, fight for change, and win. Our guild leadership must join the largest and most diverse peace movement in a generation — the integrity of our legacy demands nothing less. When confronted with genocide, oppression, and injustice, let us ring the bell for humanity and liberation. An injury to one is an injury to all.

As signatories from SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, WGA, Teamsters, DGA, AEA, AFM, Hollywood Basic Crafts, CSA, PGA, and other organizations, we urge our leaders to publicly call for an enduring truce, the release of all captives – both Palestinian and Israeli, and prompt distribution of urgently required humanitarian aid. We implore them to voice their opposition to the indiscriminate targeting and killing of innocent Palestinian civilians, healthcare workers, and fellow journalists. Furthermore, we ask them to denounce the McCarthyist suppression within our industry of members who express empathy towards the Palestinian predicament. Lastly, we seek their commitment to upholding global solidarity with workers, artists, and oppressed people everywhere.

In solidarity,

SAG-AFTRA & Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire

This list appears to be a collection of actors, performers, and industry professionals who are members or pre-members of various unions such as SAG-AFTRA, AEA, DGA, IATSE, and ACTRA. These unions represent different aspects of the entertainment industry, including acting, stage performance, directing, writing, crafts, and technical roles. The list includes professionals from different regions in the United States (e.g., Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Florida) as well as Toronto, Canada. Some individuals are also listed as committee members, indicating they hold leadership positions within their respective unions. It’s a diverse group with various backgrounds and experiences in the entertainment industry.

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2024-09-11 17:55