Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo has claimed that he may have been unofficially blacklisted by Paramount-Skydance executives because of his vocal opposition to the company’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking on the I’ve Had It podcast, Ruffalo said he believed he was “already on a list” of Paramount-Skydance’s banned actors because of his public criticism of the deal.
“I’m doing this because I know we have to. And I know no matter what, if I don’t speak out, it’s the same outcome. I’m already on a list. I’m already not a friend of these people. And so you’re either going to fight, or you’re going to lie down. But the same outcome will be if you don’t (fight), if you lay down. That’s the way it is with every bully in the world,” Mark said.
The Oscar-nominated actor and his attorney Norm Eisen are currently urging regulators to invoke antitrust laws and block the merger. Their open letter opposing the acquisition has gathered more than 5,000 signatures. Ruffalo said many people in Hollywood were reluctant to publicly support the campaign due to fears of retaliation.
Ruffalo first released the open letter in April. In May, he followed it with an opinion piece published in The New York Times, calling on the public to oppose Paramount-Skydance’s pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery. In the op-ed, he argued that actors and filmmakers feared professional consequences for speaking out against the merger.
“The most revealing thing about that letter wasn’t the people who signed. It was the people who didn’t. Not because they disagreed — because they were afraid,” Mark wrote at that time.
The proposed acquisition gained momentum earlier this year after Netflix exited the bidding process for Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount later finalised its offer for the studio and its assets.
According to Reuters, Warner Bros. Discovery agreed to be acquired by Paramount Skydance in a deal valued at USD 110 billion. The companies said in a joint statement on Friday that the transaction, which carries an equity value of USD 81 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.