Susan Sarandon says Gaza stance still costs her roles

Susan Sarandon said at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday that she is still having Hollywood roles “taken away” because of her criticism of Israel's war in Gaza.

The US actress, who has a role in the Italian film “The Echo Chamber”, said some agencies were still telling people not to hire her. “But that's the power structure,” she told a press conference.

Sarandon was dropped by United Talent Agency in November 2023 after remarks at a pro-Palestinian rally. She later apologised, saying her wording had been a “terrible mistake”.

Sarandon said she believed public understanding of the Gaza war and US support for Israel had changed, but that some people in the film industry still held strong positions against her.

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says Israel's war in Gaza has killed around 73,500 Palestinians and injured 174,500 since October 2023.

The Venice Film Festival is also set to premiere “NAZA”, a film about the killing of civilians in Gaza by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, on Thursday.