A candid remark during a jury press conference at the Cannes Film Festival has sparked widespread discussion after screenwriter Paul Laverty publicly criticised Hollywood for allegedly sidelining actors who have spoken out against the war in Gaza.
Laverty, best known for his long-standing collaboration with filmmaker Ken Loach, made the comments while addressing reporters at Cannes.
Before the press interaction concluded, he referred to the official Cannes 2026 festival poster inspired by Thelma & Louise and linked it to actor Susan Sarandon, who starred in the acclaimed film.
#CannesFilmFestival jury member Paul Laverty calls out the film industry for blacklisting stars like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo because of their “views and opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza”: “Shame on Hollywood.”
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) May 12, 2026
Laverty also acknowledges the… pic.twitter.com/re85UNDHFW
Paul Laverty Defends Actors Speaking Out On Gaza
Speaking during the press conference, Laverty said, “The Cannes Film Festival has a wonderful poster. Isn’t it fascinating to see some of them, like Susan Sarandon, Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo blacklisted because of their views in opposing the murder of women and children in Gaza?”
He went on to sharply criticise the entertainment industry, adding, “Shame on Hollywood people who do that. My respect and total solidarity to them. They’re the best of us, I look up to them.”
Laverty also ended his remarks with a darkly humorous comment, saying, “I just hope we don’t get bombed now, because we’ve got this poster in Cannes.”
The statement quickly drew attention online and reignited conversations around free speech, political activism and alleged professional repercussions within the entertainment industry.
Susan Sarandon Earlier Claimed She Lost Work Over Gaza Views
Laverty’s comments come months after Susan Sarandon claimed she faced consequences in Hollywood for publicly supporting a ceasefire in Gaza.
While attending the Goya Awards earlier this year, the Oscar-winning actor said she had been dropped by her talent agency after participating in protests and speaking out on the issue.
“I was fired by my agency, specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza, for asking for a ceasefire,” Sarandon had said.
She further claimed that securing work in mainstream Hollywood productions became difficult afterwards. According to the actor, she later found representation in England and Italy and began focusing more on independent film projects.
Laverty Reflects On Global Violence During Cannes
During the same press conference, Laverty also reflected on the wider global political climate and contrasted it with the atmosphere of the film festival.
“You see so much violence, genocide in Gaza and all these terrible things,” he said. “To come to a festival which is a celebration of diversity, imagination, tenderness… it knocked me out.”
This year’s Cannes jury is headed by Park Chan-wook and includes several prominent international names such as Demi Moore, Chloé Zhao, Ruth Negga and Stellan Skarsgård.