“It’s a Tactic” - Jane Fonda Says Mark Ruffalo Is Being Blacklisted Over His Paramount-Warner Bros. Stance

Published 09/03/2026, 9:02 PM CDT

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 20: Actress Jane Fonda attends the Youth Photocall during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2015 in Cannes, France.

Jane Fonda has accused Larry Ellison of using a deliberate tactic to push Mark Ruffalo out of favor after his comments on the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. The veteran actress has rarely stayed quiet when something troubles her, and this moment carried the same energy. Speaking candidly on a night meant to celebrate extraordinary women, Fonda turned the spotlight toward a much heavier subject. What she said next showed an uncomfortable truth about how influence actually moves through Hollywood.

While the gala honored icons for their courage, one honoree used her platform to spotlight the price of speaking up in an industry built on silence.

Jane Fonda accuses Larry Ellison of targeting Mark Ruffalo

Jane Fonda addressed the situation directly while attending the DVF Awards gala on the sidelines of the Venice Film Festival. Diane von Furstenberg hosted the event to honor women who made an impact, and Fonda used her moment to defend a colleague under pressure. She pointed to Larry Ellison, tying his actions to Mark Ruffalo's public opposition to the merger.

"Larry Ellison, because he does not like Mark Ruffalo's position on the merger, accuses him of antisemitism when he said nothing that is not within his constitutional right to say," she said, as per Variety.

She then added, "It's a tactic they're using," making clear she saw the accusation as a calculated move rather than a genuine concern.

via Imago

Fonda expanded on why the merger troubles her so deeply, citing the debt carried by the Ellison family and the ripple effects it could create. She warned that fewer studios would mean fewer places for creatives to sell their work, weakening bargaining power across the industry. Fonda also reflected on her personal history with the company, noting her fondness for David Ellison despite her opposition to his decisions, as reported by Variety. She further recalled how Ted Turner resisted selling his network decades earlier, suggesting he would be devastated to see Paramount now controlling CNN.

“Appalling and Fundamentally Dishonest”- Mark Ruffalo Pushes Back After Paramount Calls His Merger Criticism Antisemitic

As Fonda fought to protect one man's voice in an industry built on hierarchy, another Ruffalo, was quietly proving his own worth from the ground up.

Keen Ruffalo landed his breakout role in Sterling Point

Keen Ruffalo, son of Mark Ruffalo, has officially been cast as Connor Jacobson in the Amazon Prime series Sterling Point. The role arrived only after the young actor endured more than one hundred auditions across several years. Keen Ruffalo initially trained privately before testing his skills in professional casting rooms, spending nearly five years building his craft away from public attention. He originally auditioned for a different character named Ellis, but a chemistry read alongside co-star Ella Rubin ultimately redirected producers toward casting him as Connor instead.

June 25, 2014 - New York, New York, U.S. - Actor MARK RUFFALO and KEEN RUFFALO attend the New York premiere of Begin Again held at the SVA Theater. - ZUMAk03

Keen Ruffalo's journey stands in sharp contrast to the financial empire his father has built over decades in the industry. Mark Ruffalo holds an estimated net worth of fifty million dollars, largely shaped by his fifteen million-dollar Avengers: Endgame payday and extensive real estate holdings across multiple states. Despite that inherited privilege, Keen Ruffalo chose the long route through rejection and persistence rather than relying on his surname. His grind mirrors the same resilience his father now publicly defends inside Hollywood's shifting power structure.

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What are your thoughts on Jane Fonda calling out Larry Ellison over his treatment of Mark Ruffalo? Let us know in the comments.

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Shraddha Priyadarshi

2062 articles

Shraddha is a content chameleon with 3 years of experience, expertly juggling entertainment and non-entertainment writing, from scriptwriting to reporting. Having a portfolio of over 2,000 articles, she has covered everything from Hollywood’s glitzy drama to the latest pop culture trends. With a knack for telling stories that keep readers hooked, Shraddha thrives on dissecting celebrity scandals and cultural moments.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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