The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been on the world’s radar for many years and has recently been receiving coverage seeking insight into Hollywood’s take on the situation. As individuals take sides on the issue, projects and client agents being dropped from projects due to the divide in opinions is being seen.
Movement in Hollywood is often seen as a reflection of changes in the overal climate on social issues. This is certainly true in the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has been a lightning rod of controversy within the film industry as of late. Recent reports on the issue show that despite the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the Middle East conflict, celebrities and producers have been making their opinions known.
This has led to some particularly interesting Hollywood power moves. For example, CAA has dropped their client, Israeli-born actress Gal Gadot, due to her support for the Israeli government’s actions against Hamas. And a company owned by Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy has dropped an Orson Welles biopic project after its director was accused of supporting Hamas.
Hollywood’s divide is not solely focused on the well-known names in the industry. Lesser-known producers and crew members behind the scenes are also feeling the effects of Hollywood’s increasingly bitter divide, as some filmmakers with pro-Israel views have found their works being re-cut or edited to be more favorable to one side or the other. One director, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reported that their film was edited and changed with no explanation, leading them to believe their work was being crafted to reflect the pro-Israel message of their studio.
The ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine has brought to light the issue of taking sides in Hollywood. Despite initially taking a unifying stance against the violence in the region, the film industry appears to be quickly being divided into camps of pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian advocates. As projects and crew members are being dropped from projects due to their opinion on the conflict, Hollywood is becoming a microcosm of the world’s larger struggles.