Celebrities Julianna Margulies and Susan Sarandon Apologize for Controversial Remarks Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict
Julianna Margulies and Susan Sarandon apologize for their controversial comments on the Israel-Hamas war, acknowledging the impact of their words
Julianna Marguiles has issued an apology following the backlash from her recent comments on a podcast. During an episode of the "Back Room with Andy Ostroy" podcast, the actress expressed criticism towards marginalized communities for what she believed was a lack of support for Jews. This conversation took place in response to the Israel-Hamas war and the increase in antisemitism observed in the country during this time. Both Marguiles and Ostroy, who are Jewish, engaged in this discussion.
Marguiles expressed through a spokesperson in an email to CNN on Friday that she was "horrified" by the fact that her comments had "offended the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities, communities that she truly loves and respects."
She emphasized, "I want to be absolutely clear: Racism, homophobia, sexism, or any form of prejudice against anyone's personal beliefs or identity is completely unacceptable to me." She then added, "Throughout my career, I have consistently worked to combat all forms of hate, put an end to antisemitism, condemn terrorist organizations like Hamas, and unite against discrimination. I did not intend for my words to cause further division, and for that, I am genuinely sorry."
Susan Sarandon issued an apology on Friday for comments she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City last month. In a video taken by the New York Post from the November 17 rally, Sarandon can be heard saying to the crowd, "There are a lot of people that are afraid, that are afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of how it feels to be Muslim in this country."
In a social media post this week, Sarandon expressed regret for her choice of words and acknowledged that her statement implied a misunderstanding of the historical persecution of Jews. She also apologized for inadvertently diminishing the severity of this reality and for any harm caused by her comment. Sarandon clarified that her intention was to demonstrate solidarity in the fight against all forms of bigotry and expressed remorse for not effectively conveying this message.
