Tom Cruise has mostly steered clear of politics. Apart from a brief period in the mid-aughts when he was very open about certain beliefs he holds — and nearly wrecked his career — he’s stuck to making big movies and endangering his life just to entertain. But when his agent came under fire for posts about the Israel-Palestine war, he used his clout to save her job.
Variety has a new post about how Hollywood is dealing with those in the industry who’ve posted about the conflict in the Middle East, especially those who’ve called out Israel’s response. One was far from a household name: Maha Dakhil, a CAA agent who “ignited a firestorm” at the agency over her Instagram posts. One read, “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.”
Dakhil might have been fired, had her most important client not been Tom Cruise. According to the report, the superstar “made it known to CAA that he was backing her.” He went so far as to show up in person in the offices. As a result, she was relieved of her duties as co-chief of the motion pictures department but was able to keep working as an agent.
Variety’s report came the same day that two actresses were punished for statements condemning Israel’s ongoing bombing of Palestine. Oscar-winning actress and activist Susan Sarandon was let go from United Talent Agency for comments she made at a rally in support of the Palestinian people.
“There are a lot of people that are afraid, afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence,” Sarandon said at the rally, in comments that were criticized on social media.
Elsewhere, Spyglass Media Group fired Melissa Barrera from the Scream series over social media posts in which she wrote, “Western media only shows the [Israeli] side. Why do they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself.” Barrera had been the star of the previous two Scream films, which had rejuvenated the long-dormant franchise.
(Via Variety)