Venice: Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon has said that her outspoken support for Palestine continues to affect her career in Hollywood, claiming that she has recently lost film roles because of her political views.
Speaking at the 2026 Venice Film Festival, where she is promoting her latest film The Echo Chamber, the 79-year-old actress said parts of the US film industry continue to distance themselves from artists who openly criticize Israel or support Palestinian rights. Sarandon said that some talent agencies have discouraged producers from hiring her, suggesting that the pressure she has faced since speaking publicly about Gaza and calling for a ceasefire has not disappeared.
Her comments come nearly three years after she was dropped by United Talent Agency (UTA) following remarks she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York in November 2023. Sarandon later apologized for the wording of those comments, calling them a “terrible mistake.”
Despite the professional challenges, Sarandon said she feels increasingly supported outside the United States. She pointed to a broader change in public discussion around Palestine and said that international audiences and filmmakers have continued to welcome her. Her latest film, The Echo Chamber, directed by Italian filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro, is among her recent projects outside the traditional Hollywood studio system. Sarandon expressed gratitude to Pallaoro for giving her the opportunity to work on the film despite the warnings he said he had received from within the industry.
Sarandon’s comments have once again brought attention to the debate over artistic freedom, political expression and professional consequences in the entertainment industry. Her case also comes amid growing discussion among actors, filmmakers and other cultural figures over the war in Gaza and the treatment of pro-Palestinian voices in the film industry. While Sarandon says public attitudes toward Palestine are changing, she believes parts of Hollywood’s established power structure remain resistant to those changes.
Her appearance in Venice has therefore become about more than the promotion of a new film—it has also highlighted the continuing debate over whether artists should face professional consequences for expressing political and humanitarian positions.