SAEDNEWS: A sweeping investigation has revealed a growing climate of fear, surveillance, and suppression inside America’s arts and entertainment industry, where support for Palestine is increasingly met with professional retaliation, blacklisting, and career erasure.
In an industry historically defined by freedom of expression and advocacy for social justice, dozens of actors, artists, and behind-the-scenes workers now say the U.S. entertainment world has turned repressive—especially when it comes to expressing solidarity with Palestinians during Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
Since October 2023, when the Israeli military began a sustained campaign in Gaza, artists across disciplines—from television writers to animators, composers, dancers, and set designers—have described an atmosphere of fear and censorship. Interviews conducted suggest a growing number of entertainment professionals have faced blacklisting, professional retaliation, or sudden contract terminations for publicly criticizing Israel's military actions.
The conflict, which has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza, has sparked widespread global protest. But inside the U.S. arts and entertainment industry, a starkly different climate has taken hold.
One of the most high-profile incidents came earlier this year when Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, who co-directed the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was detained and assaulted by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. Despite honoring Ballal's work weeks earlier, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences refused to directly condemn the attack, offering only a general statement against violence "anywhere in the world."
Meanwhile, actress Rachel Zegler, star of Snow White, reportedly faced internal backlash for a tweet in August 2024 that read, “and always remember, free Palestine.” Executives were said to be furious with the post, and Zegler later became a scapegoat for the film’s underwhelming box office performance.
Such cases have fueled accusations that the entertainment industry—long hailed for championing human rights—has instead become a gatekeeper of political orthodoxy when it comes to Israel.
‘Free Speech Is Conditional’
More than 30 individuals interviewed by MEE, including workers tied to high-profile streaming platforms and production studios, spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fears of career-damaging reprisals. Several said they had been advised by agents or managers to scrub their social media of any pro-Palestinian statements.
One television writer described leaked internal emails from a PR firm instructing recruiters to vet job candidates’ online activity for any “Free Palestine” content before extending offers.
“They don’t have to fire you,” said a member of Dancers for Palestine. “You just never get hired again—and no one tells you why.”
In the theatre and performing arts world, workers say the same chilling effect is taking root. Much of Broadway is controlled by a small handful of corporate players. In many venues, influential board members and donors—some with pro-Israel political affiliations—wield heavy sway over programming and hiring.
A SAG-AFTRA member warned that even winning top honors like an Oscar doesn’t shield actors from fallout. “You can win an Oscar and never work again. You can have your career taken away immediately,” they said.
Middle Management and Silent Enforcement
According to numerous sources, the suppression often operates through a “middle management” layer—agents, casting directors, and PR teams who quietly isolate outspoken artists.
A film composer said they were dropped by their representation after posting pro-Palestinian content. Others recalled being pressured to delete social media posts or told that their views were “not a good fit.”
Actor Amin el-Gamal, who has appeared in series on HBO and Fox, said the silence is calculated and often invisible: “They don’t say it’s because of Palestine. They’ll say, ‘We’re going in a different direction.’”
Colin Buckingham, an actor based in New York, said they were let go by their manager over concerns about the “sensitive nature” of pro-Palestinian posts.
Another dancer noted a circulating blacklist within their performance circle, accompanied by a document for doxing artists who speak out.
Unions Under Fire
The unions representing many of these workers—such as SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, and the Writers Guild of America—have come under scrutiny for what some members describe as active complicity in the repression.
“Union leadership rushed to issue statements of support for Israel in October,” one SAG member said, “but they’ve offered nothing—no protection, no public backing—for members facing retaliation for supporting Palestinians.”
Others allege that union leaders have gone further, actively obstructing or silencing internal efforts to pass pro-Palestinian motions or communications. At IATSE, a member described being bullied and misrepresented by their own leadership after proposing a ceasefire resolution.
MEE contacted SAG-AFTRA and IATSE for comment but did not receive responses before publication.
An Industry Entwined with Politics
Observers note that the current crackdown fits within a broader historical pattern. Hollywood's entanglement with U.S. government interests dates back to the Cold War, when Ronald Reagan—then head of SAG—served as an FBI informant, helping blacklist artists with leftist ties.
Union ties to pro-Israel causes also go back decades. Current SAG President Fran Drescher, once hailed for her leadership during the 2023 strikes, has previously fundraised for the Israeli military.
Many workers believe the entertainment industry’s current posture reflects not just alignment with Israeli interests, but with a larger imperial project—one that has repeatedly targeted anti-colonial or anti-war voices.
“The racism in this industry isn’t just cultural,” said one actor. “It’s institutional, and it’s enforced through power and silence.”
Underground Resistance Grows
Despite the risks, artists across sectors have begun organizing under banners like SAG-AFTRA Members for Ceasefire, Dancers for Palestine (D4P), and Theater Workers for Ceasefire (TW4C). Many have joined the cultural boycott movement backed by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), refusing to collaborate with institutions tied to the Israeli state.
In 2024 alone, 27 theatre organizations endorsed the PACBI campaign—an unprecedented number in U.S. performing arts.
In New York, activists launched the New York Counter Film Festival (NYCFF) in protest of pro-Israel donors tied to the New York Film Festival, offering an alternative platform for filmmakers and audiences alike.
Filmmaker and distributor Badie Ali, co-founder of Watermelon Pictures, said the industry must do more than avoid racist tropes—it must actively reshape the narratives. “For too long, we’ve accepted the dehumanization of people from our region,” he said.
‘I Auditioned for Terrorist Roles’
Actor Amin el-Gamal said his own career began with typecasting. “I auditioned for lots of terroristy parts. I’m kind of disgusted with myself,” he admitted. “But I felt like there was no career for me unless I accepted a part like that.”
Gamal said he sees the current moment as an opportunity for transformation. “Hollywood’s racism is strategic. But we’re organizing to change that.”
As the war in Gaza continues and the death toll rises, the pressure on artists to remain silent appears to be growing. But so, too, is the determination of many to speak out.
“We’re not just pushing back against the industry,” one writer said. “We’re pushing back against an empire of silence.”
