Susan Sarandon Says She Was Banned From Hollywood After Calling for Gaza Ceasefire: I Feel ‘Repression and Censorship’ in United States

Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon has opened up about the professional fallout she faced after calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, revealing that her activism has effectively shut her out of the US film industry.

via: Variety

“I was fired by my agency, specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza, for asking for a ceasefire,” Sarandon said. “It became impossible for me to even be on television. I don’t know lately if it’s changed. I couldn’t do any major film or anything connected with Hollywood. I found agents ultimately in England and in Italy, and I work there. I just did a film in Italy, and I did a play at the Old Vic for a number of months. I know this Italian director that just hired me — he was told not to hire me, so that’s still recently. He didn’t listen, but they had that conversation. Right now, I kind of specialize in tiny films with directors who have never directed, in independent films.”

The “Thelma and Louise” star also said that Spain has more intellectual freedom than the United States.

“In a place where you feel repression and censorship, to see Spain and to see the president and what he says and the support that he’s giving about Gaza, and to have actors like Javier Bardem come forward with such a strong voice, is so important to us in the United States,” she said.

Her comments came during a Feb. 27 discussion ahead of receiving the International Goya award in recognition of her career, including “Dead Man Walking” and “Atlantic City.” The Spanish Film Academy’s Goya Awards ceremony is set to take place on Feb. 28 in Barcelona.

In 2023, Sarandon was dropped by UTA after she spoke at a pro-Palestine rally in New York City.

Watch the full discussion here, courtesy of Reuters.