Members of US actors' union urge for protection from blacklisting of Palestinian supporters

Hundreds of members of the largest US actors' union have issued a statement urging that fellow actors who express support for Palestinians not be blacklisted.

This announcement follows an open letter by more than 700 members of the SAG-AFTRA union (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) last month expressing their support for Palestinian civilians in Gaza, who have been subjected to continuous Israeli airstrikes for nearly a year, resulting in more than 41,000 deaths.

"SAG-AFTRA members Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Susan Sarandon, Melissa Barrera and Cynthia Nixon are among the hundreds of union members calling on their organisation's leadership to keep people from being blacklisted for their views on Palestine," according to an article published earlier this week by the Hollywood Reporter.

The concern over blacklisting follows multiple instances over the past several years, in some cases prior to Israel's war in Gaza, in which prominent figures in the entertainment industry have found themselves losing work following statements of solidarity for Palestinians.

In November of last year, one month into the war, it was reported that Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega left their roles in Scream 7, with the former being fired and the latter officially leaving of her own accord, prior to completing the filming of the latest in the popular franchise. 

At the time, the departure of two of the film's main stars appeared to be a devastating predicament for the studio, given their popularity. However, it also showed the pressure faced by anyone appearing to support Palestinians.

The concern over blacklisting has deep roots in Hollywood. In the 1930s through the 1960s, many in the entertainment industry lost work or were pressured into silence over alleged communist sympathies. The first systematic Hollywood blacklist was implemented in the late 1940s, when 10 writers and directors refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee.

In their open letter, which was last updated in mid-August, hundreds of union members remind their industry leaders that it is their labour that have built the entertainment sector, even if they lack the political power of the studios.

"We are the labour that built and sustains this business. When our leaders can’t stand up publicly for peace and justice, then we must do what we always do: organize, fight for change, and win," they write in an open letter in response to their guild's leadership voicing support for Israel. 

"Our guild leadership must join the largest and most diverse peace movement in a generation — the integrity of our legacy demands nothing less. When confronted with genocide, oppression, and injustice, let us ring the bell for humanity and liberation. An injury to one is an injury to all," the letter continues.

The New Arab contacted SAF-AFTRA for comment, but did not receive a response.