Overview
- Susan Sarandon told reporters at the Venice Film Festival that she has recently lost film roles because some agencies are telling others not to hire her.
- She thanked director Andrea Pallaoro for casting her in The Echo Chamber after he reportedly faced warnings not to hire her, and she said entrenched industry opposition remains.
- The Echo Chamber, based on Bernardo Bertolucci’s last script and starring Sarandon with Alicia Vikander and Luca Marinelli, is competing for the Golden Lion at Venice.
- Festival coverage has also highlighted activist demands for symbolic recognition of Palestine and organizers’ reply that Italy does not officially recognize the State of Palestine.
- Sarandon framed her experience as part of a wider change in public opinion about Palestine and U.S. ties to Israel, a shift that could push outspoken artists toward smaller international and independent projects and reshape casting choices.