Mark Ruffalo Says Hollywood Stars Declined to Sign Open Letter Against Paramount-WB Merger ‘Because They’re Afraid’ the Studio Will Blacklist Them

Home Film News May 7, 2026 12:48pm PT Mark Ruffalo Says Hollywood Stars Declined to Sign Open Letter Against Paramount-WB Merger ‘Because They’re Afraid’ the Studio Will Blacklist Them By Zack Sharf Plus Icon Zack Sharf Digital News Director ZSharf Latest Mark Ruffalo Says Hollywood Stars Declined to Sign Open Letter Against Paramount-WB Merger ‘Because They’re Afraid’ the Studio Will Blacklist Them 7 minutes ago ‘My Name Is Earl’ Star Jaime Pressly Launches OnlyFans: ‘I’ve Always Believed in Evolving With the Times’ (EXCLUSIVE) 55 minutes ago Robert Downey Jr. Says ‘It’s Absolute Horses—‘ to Declare That Social Media Influencers Are the ‘Stars of the Future’ 22 hours ago See All Getty Images Mark Ruffalo revealed in a new op-ed for The New York Times co-written with American Economic Liberties Project research director Matt Stoller that many Hollywood stars declined to sign the recent open letter that’s fighting to block the Paramount–Warner Bros. 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,” Ruffalo and Stoller write. “There are many reasons to block this deal, but we now believe the most fundamental one is what we encountered when asking artists to use their voices: fear. A deep, ugly and pervasive fear of speaking out.” Popular on Variety Related Stories Cynthia Erivo, Thabo Rametsi and Guy Pearce Board Musical Drama 'The Road Home' Ahead of Cannes