Celebrities slammed for quiet response to Trump peace deal

Hollywood’s most vocal “Free Palestine” advocates are facing scrutiny for their muted or critical response to the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas secured by President Donald Trump.

Roughly two years after the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel sparked a war in Gaza, both sides agreed to the first phase of a peace proposal, Trump announced on Oct. 8. Under the plan, Hamas agreed to release all 20 remaining living hostages held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Israel freeing about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including roughly 250 convicted terrorists.

During an address to Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, Trump hailed the Middle East ceasefire as a “historic day.”

Yet many in Hollywood who repeatedly called for a ceasefire throughout the conflict — including members of campaigns such as Artists4Ceasefire and Film Workers for Palestine — have either stayed quiet or criticized the breakthrough, with few acknowledging Trump’s role in securing it.

Billie Eilish wears a pro-Gaza pin from Artists4Ceasefire while attending the 96th Annual Academy Awards on March 10, 2024, in Hollywood, California. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

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Pro-Israel actor and comedian Michael Rapaport was among those who noticed. He called out several celebrities he said were now “silent” about the ceasefire, accusing them of “performance” activism in an Oct. 11 Facebook post.

“CEASEFIRE is NOW, where are these people?” Rapaport wrote, naming actors Mark Ruffalo, John Cusack, Hannah Einbinder, Javier Bardem and singer Lorde. “The war in Gaza is ending. The so-called ‘genocide’ is over. Because it was never about peace. It was about performance,” he added.

Columnist Paula Froelich also criticized about a dozen celebrities who publicly called for a “Free Palestine” and “ceasefire now” or wore a red-hand pin to the Oscars in 2024. She said many have since stayed silent on the peace deal or continued to blame Israel “for all atrocities that have happened in the past two years.”

“If I were less charitable, I might argue that Hollywood celebrities care more about a performative farce — scolding Israel and our president — than seeing a Free Palestine actually happen in real time. How’s that for hypocrisy?” she wrote in her column for the U.K. newspaper The Times.

“Snow White” lead actress Rachel Zegler became a lightning rod for controversy when she expressed her views on the Israel-Gaza war and Trump voters. In an Aug. 2024 post about the trailer for “Snow White,” the actress wrote, “And always remember, free Palestine.” (VALERIE MACON / Contributor)

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Some supporters of the “Free Palestine” movement maintain that the ceasefire does not fully address the humanitarian crisis or allegations accusing Israel of genocide.

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for figures who have publicly supported the Artists4Ceasefire or Free Palestine movements — including Ruffalo, Joaquin Phoenix, Billie Eilish, Rachel Zegler and Lorde — for comment on the ceasefire and Rapaport’s criticism but did not receive a response.

A few actors have spoken out on the peace deal, but not favorably. John Cusack, who has faced criticism from an antisemitism watchdog in the past, mocked the ceasefire as a “photo op” for Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“To anyone who believes for a moment Netanyahu will stop killing — there’s a bridge in Brooklyn up for sale,” Cusack wrote Oct. 14. “He’ll give Trump his photo op — and then resume,” he added in the post, accusing both leaders of using the deal for political gain.

Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who wore a keffiyeh to the 2025 Emmy Awards, called the ceasefire “very good news” in an Instagram post but said it was “by no means a fair plan for the rights and future of the Palestinian people.” He also shared a clip from MSNBC’s “The Weekend,” where guest Noura Erakat claimed Trump’s Gaza plan was “another way of continuing [Israel’s] occupation.”

Javier Bardem wore a keffiyeh and declared “Free Palestine” from the red carpet at the 2025 Emmy Awards. ( Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

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“Hacks” actress Hannah Einbinder, who made headlines earlier this year for shouting “F— ICE and free Palestine” during her 2025 Emmy Awards acceptance speech, reposted several messages from other accounts questioning whether the ceasefire would hold. One warned there was “no guarantee this genocide will stop” while another criticized the peace terms. 

Other celebrities expressed cautious optimism. Progressive actors Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon shared a statement from Artists4Ceasefire on Oct. 10 calling the agreement “an urgent and heartening moment of relief.” 

The group added, “It brings hope that precious lives can be saved, and that Israel’s bombing and intentional starvation of Palestinian civilians will end, that all hostages are safely returned, and that desperately needed humanitarian aid can flood into Gaza. We hold cautious hope that the ceasefire will last, and will continue to demand it is made permanent.”

Leading up to the deal, more than 1,000 actors, directors and film workers signed a pledge to boycott Israeli film institutions through the activist group Film Workers for Palestine. 

Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon are two high-profile figures involved in the Artists4Ceasefire movement. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

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“Inspired by Filmmakers United Against Apartheid, who refused to screen their films in apartheid South Africa, we pledge not to work with Israeli film institutions implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” the group’s statement said. Signatories reportedly included Ruffalo, Emma Stone, Peter Sarsgaard, Lily Gladstone, Olivia Colman, Sarandon and Tilda Swinton.

The group posted a statement to Instagram on Oct. 15 declaring the boycott against Israel would remain in place “until Palestinians are no longer subjected to occupation, apartheid, and genocide.”

“This catastrophe, this genocide, has not ended with one call for ceasefire. And it will not end so long as the perpetrators of this genocide continue to avoid accountability,” the post added.

Despite the criticism, some actors have publicly praised the peace agreement. 

Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman called it a “momentous day” during an appearance at a film festival in France, saying, “It feels almost crazy to be talking about anything else except celebrating — hopefully — peace.” 

British actress Frances Barber also commended Trump for his role in the deal, writing on X, “I had TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome], and I’m now eating my words,” while reposting a photo showing a “Thank You” message to Trump written in the sand on a Tel Aviv beach.

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Fox News’ Hanna Panreck, Marc Tamasco and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.