Who are the unexpected names on the open letter from 700 Hollywood celebrities supporting Israel?
Over 700 celebrities from Hollywood have united to express their support for Israel by signing an open letter demonstrating their unequivocal solidarity with Israel during the ongoing war with Hamas. Here are a few unaticipated names that showed up on the list.
What
Organised by the nonprofit Creative Community for Peace, the letter includes notable figures such as Gal Gadot, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Pine, Mayim Bialik, and many others.
Over 700 Entertainment Industry Leaders have signed CCFP’s letter solidarity with Israel. We all unequivocally condemn Hamas terrorism and the murder of innocent Israelis. pic.twitter.com/qRE67EUQJE
— Creative Community for Peace (@CCFPeace) October 12, 2023
The letter emphasises the heinous acts committed by Hamas, such as indiscriminate rocket attacks, murders, kidnappings, and other atrocities.
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It calls for on the entertainment community to:
- Denounce Hamas
- Support Israel
- Combat the “Iranian misinformation and propaganda” about the conflict
- And advocate for the release of hostages.
Who has signed the letter?
While ex-IDF serving Gal Gadot’s unabashed support for her homeland was a no-brainer, the letter included a few big names in support of Israel that have certainly raised some eyebrows.
Mark Hamill, renowned for his iconic role as Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, is best known for embodying the hero of the Rebellion. The Rebel Alliance was all about resisting the Empire, so seeing him blindly support Israel comes off as shockingly uncharacteristic.
America stands with Israel ✊#ALWAYS pic.twitter.com/kM3e9S125s
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) October 8, 2023
Fans of the Jedi Master have expressed disappointement with his unexpected alignment with Israel, with not mention of Palestine.
Never thought luke will join the darkside
— Faris | Akumu Anarchy (@fares9669) October 9, 2023
Never thought joker saying something awful.
U use to be a goat
— Main🎃 (@mainmajin) October 9, 2023
Tf happened?
In the same vein, Chris Pine, famous for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek reboot, leads the crew of the starship Enterprise on missions of exploration and diplomacy. His involvement in this open letter might seem like an unexpected departure from his on-screen role of fostering cooperation and understanding.
Ryan Murphy, the creative mind behind American Horror Story and Glee, has been at the forefront of diverse and subaltern voices in entertainment. His support for Israel might appear at odds with his commitment to telling stories from marginalised and oppressed perspectives.
Though of Hungarian Jewish descent, Jamie Lee Curtis, known for her roles in the Halloween series, has often portrayed strong and resilient characters fighting against evil. Her alignment with Israel's cause, though unsurprising, might contrast with the image she's built as a symbol of resistance in a majority of her filmography having no mention of Palestine in any of her statements.
The statement from these Hollywood celebrities, which emphasises the alleged influx of orchestrated misinformation on social media spearheaded by Iran, has drawn considerable attention.
It is worth mentioning that the foremost signatory on the open letter is none other than Israeli media mogul and businessman Haim Saban, who having formerly served under the IDF, has been seen as instrumental in scripting US President Joe Biden’s policy on Israel.
Combating misinformation
In the midst of a complex and sensitive conflict like this, the role of social media in shaping public opinion is significant. Celebrities' statements, which may be seen as one-sided, can influence public discourse and awareness.
Hollywood garbage Justin Bieber posted “Praying For Israel” on Instagram, while displaying a photo of the Gaza massacre. pic.twitter.com/i5Xf4b6SUY
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) October 12, 2023
An example of potential contradiction within the open letter is the recent Oscar-winner, Jamie Lee Curtis, herself.
On October 8, she shared a post on Instagram expressing support for Israel, including an image of children running with the caption "Terror in the skies" and an Israeli flag emoji. However, she later deleted the post having realised the photo actually featured Palestinian children.
Cognitive Dissonance: Jamie Lee Curtis was deeply moved by this picture ONLY when she thought they were Israeli.
— Muhammad Shehada (@muhammadshehad2) October 10, 2023
As soon as she learned they were Gazan, she lost all feelings for them & deleted the picture.
Suddenly, "terror from the sky" became acceptable to her & her likes! pic.twitter.com/uoGm570VXo
This highlights the challenges surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, where public figures, including celebrities, can inadvertently amplify misinformation or oversimplify the situation.
READ MORE: After Jamie Lee Curtis, Justin Bieber confuses Israel with Gaza in Instagram post, deletes it
Though the letter emphasises the importance of countering a "misinformation campaign speaheaded by Iran", when celebrities like Curtis backtrack on their statements, it raises questions about the credibility of their initial positions and the need for a more nuanced and informed understanding of the conflict.
So, whether you're a Hollywood A-lister or just an armchair critic, navigating the Israel-Hamas conflict on social media is a delicate undertaking that requires much more than just a one-sided open letter.