Mark Ruffalo says Hollywood stars are 'afraid' to oppose Paramount-WB merger over 'retribution'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The 'Avengers' actor Mark Ruffalo penned an op-ed for the New York Times alongside Matt Stoller, in which he discussed why several Hollywood stars reportedly refused to sign a recent open letter opposing the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros merger.
Known for being vocal about industry issues, Ruffalo claimed many actors were hesitant to publicly support the letter because they feared it could hurt their standing with major studios and limit future opportunities.
According to the piece, some believed backing the movement could create professional roadblocks within the industry. The op-ed states, "People are afraid to say what they think about their own industry."
Mark Ruffalo says Hollywood stars feared speaking out against the merger
The article includes some of the strongest remarks made by Mark Ruffalo and Matt Stoller. They wrote, “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".
“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."
The pair claimed several artists agreed with the message behind the open letter but worried they could face backlash for publicly supporting it. “We heard time and time again from artists, when asked to sign this letter, that they supported it but were afraid of retribution. Their fear is not unjustified,” Ruffalo’s op-ed adds.
The article also mentioned alleged examples of retaliation connected to the merger debate. According to Ruffalo and Stoller, advertising was reportedly pulled from an independent trade publication after its editorial director was seen carrying “Block the Merger” buttons at an event.
“When the editorial director of The Ankler, one of the last independent trade magazines, who also founded the publication and serves as one of its columnists, was seen at an event carrying a bag of ‘Block the Merger’ buttons, Paramount reportedly pulled its advertising in response,” Ruffalo and Stoller note.
75 Oscar winners joined thousands opposing the Paramount–WB merger
More than 4,000 people, including 75 Oscar winners, have signed the letter opposing the proposed Paramount–Warner Bros merger. The campaign against the merger continues to gain support in Hollywood, as thousands of industry figures have already backed the open letter.
Among them are 75 Academy Award winners urging regulators to closely examine the deal before giving final approval. The proposed merger is still awaiting clearance from regulators in both the United States and Europe.
