Spanish actor Javier Bardem has stated that public support for Gaza has not damaged his career and on the contrary has brought him more job offers, including in the US, reports Anadolu.

“I had a bunch of offers. And this made me think that the narrative is changing, everyone is starting to understand, thanks to the new generation, that this is unacceptable, this cannot be justified, there is no reason for this genocide”, said Bardem in a conference to media at the Cannes Film Festival.

Last week, Cannes festival jury member Paul Laverty criticized what he described as Hollywood’s blacklisting of actors such as Bardem, Susan Sarandon and Mark Ruffalo over their public support for the Palestinians in Gaza.

Bardem said he has heard rumors of blacklisting in Hollywood but has no concrete evidence. “I believe that those who are drawing up these so-called blacklists will be exposed and they are the ones who will suffer the consequences from the public,” said the Oscar-winning actor, adding that “this is a big change”.

The actor called on more members of the film industry to speak publicly about Gaza. “Those who have that opportunity and don’t, I find cowards. By your silence or your support, you are pro-genocide,” he said.

Bardem argued that the situation in Gaza represents broader global failures. “What is happening in Gaza and Palestine represents us on a human level. It reflects the institutional, political and economic hypocrisy as well as a level of inhumanity seen in many major conflicts in the world,” he stressed.

He criticized US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what he described as “toxic masculinity,” one of the themes of the film he presented in Cannes, “The Beloved”.

“It’s toxic male behavior that’s creating thousands of dead people, so yes, we need to talk about it,” he added. Bardem is in the running to become one of the few actors who have won the best actor award at Cannes twice.

Source: prizrenpost