“Mark Ruffalo is the only Avenger actor to actually act like one”: Film Journalist defends actor amid criticism over Paramount merger comments

Ryan D'souza Sun, August 23, 2026 at 10:26 AM UTC

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“Mark Ruffalo is the only Avenger actor to actually act like one”: Film Journalist defends actor amid criticism over Paramount merger comments ©Getty: "Crime 101" UK Gala Screening - Special Access

Mark Ruffalo, the Avengers actor best known for his portrayal of Bruce Banner, has made multiple headlines recently, as he called out the Ellison family's ties to Oracle in a public post on his Instagram Story. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor shared a video of Oracle's executive vice chair Safra Catz discussing how the tech company made "really profoundly scary technology" available to the Israeli military amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Ruffalo wrote,

"This is the company that Larry Ellison is using to fund his son David's Warner Bros acquisition. These 'really profoundly scary technologies' will most likely be merged into one of the largest media conglomerates in the world and one day used on you. Look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle."

As per a report shared by Deadline, Paramount responded to the post, with a spokesperson saying in part,

"We are, as always, troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute. Words like 'genocide' and 'apartheid,' applied to a corporate transaction, aren't just wrong — they're a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe."

Amid the online debate that followed, a film journalist came forward in Ruffalo's defense.

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"Mark Ruffalo is the only Avenger actor to actually act like one," the journalist shared.

Mark Ruffalo defends his stance on Paramount merger:

Mark Ruffalo looks on before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams at Lincoln Financial Field on September 21, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Source: Getty

Mark Ruffalo took to X to address the situation in detail, pushing back on what he described as a fundamentally dishonest characterization of his views. The Thor: Ragnarokactor was clear that criticizing the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it was not the same as criticizing Jewish people. In his opinion, framing that dialogue as being anti-Israel was dishonest. Mark Ruffalo added that his views stemmed from his own political convictions, and that they should never be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people.

"The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest. Everything I know about acting, activism, and humanism has been profoundly shaped by the Jewish friends, colleagues, and loved ones who have been integral and family throughout every point of my life," Ruffalo shared.

Larry Ellison speaks during a news conference with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC - Source: Getty

Mark Ruffalo then turned his attention to the merger itself. Ruffalo pointed out that the $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions had never been fully explained to the public. As per Mark Ruffalo, the threat to editorial freedom and the loss of livelihood for thousands of families made scrutinizing the Ellisons not just fair, but necessary. Mark Ruffalo concluded by sharing where he stood on the road ahead.

"Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for serious national security review, and regulators still haven't given the public a real answer. Until they do, the merger shouldn't move forward. Now is the time to dive boldly into all these issues, not step back or concede," he shared.

Mark Ruffalo previously joined forces with attorney Norm Eisen to fight the Paramount merger:

Mark Ruffalo and Sunrise Coigney on the red carpet at the 2026 Golden Globes (83rd Annual Ceremony) held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA on Sunday, January 11, 2026 - Source: Getty

Ruffalo's Instagram post wasn't his first time taking a public stand against the deal. Back in April, the 13 Going on 30 actor partnered with attorney Norm Eisen, urging state officials to step in with antitrust laws and put a stop to the hostile takeover. The push was organized by the Committee for the First Amendment, the Future Film Coalition, the Writers Guild of America and the Democracy Defenders Fund, and gathered more than five thousand signatures on an open letter. The letter argued the merger would

"threaten the sustainability of the entire creative community."

The controversy surrounding the deal had been building for some time. Netflix had previously entered the picture in December, signing an $82.7 billion agreement with WBD, only for the Ellison-owned company to come in with a competing bid. By February, Netflix had stepped back entirely, unwilling to match Paramount Skydance's $31-per-share offer, which had been described as "superior." The merger continues to face scrutiny, with regulators yet to offer the public a satisfactory explanation on several fronts, including the extent of foreign money's influence on editorial decisions.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”