Susan Sarandon has spoken about her exile from Hollywood in an emotional interview at Barcelona’s Goya Awards.
The Thelma and Louise star, 79, was dropped by her agency, United Talent Agency, in 2023, in what she says was a response to her “marching and speaking out about Gaza”.
“I was fired by my agency, specifically for marching and speaking out about Gaza, for asking for a ceasefire, and it became impossible for me to even be on television,” she said at a press conference, while attending the festival to accept a career achievement award.
“I don’t know lately if it’s changed, but, I couldn’t do any major film, anything connected with Hollywood.”
During the press conference, Sarandon also praised the Spanish government’s support for Palestine.
“To see Spain and the President’s support for Gaza, and to have actors like Javier Bardem come forward with such a strong voice, is so important to us in the United States,” she said, growing visibly emotional.
“I can’t tell you, when you turn on the TV and you see how strong Spain is, and how clear that you are morally about these issues, it makes you feel less alone, and it makes you feel that there is hope, because you just don’t hear that on TV in the US.”
Before being dropped by her agency, Sarandon ignited controversy with an appearance at a pro-Palestinian rally in November 2023.
She said at the event: “There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence.”
The actor later apologised for her comments, stating that they “[imply] that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true”.
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In the years since parting with United Talent Agency, Sarandan has continued to work in independent cinema, and starred in a play at London’s Old Vic theatre last year.
“I just did a film in Italy, and I did a play at the Old Vic for a number of months,” she said in Barcelona. “An Italian director just hired me, but he was told not to hire me. So, right now I kind of specialise in tiny, independent films with directors who have never directed before, and films that are in Europe or in Italy.
“So, that’s the main reason I haven’t been been working as much.”
