Tom Cruise Stands Firm: Supporting Agent Amid Controversy Over Pro-Palestine Posts

Lehren Hollywood

Dakhil's Instagram posts discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict sparked conversations in Hollywood about the limits of expression, especially regarding sensitive geopolitical matters.

Transcript

00:00 Tom Cruise recently made headlines for standing up in support of his agent, Maha Dhakhil,

00:05 amidst a tense situation at the talent agency CAA. Dhakhil, a prominent figure at CAA, faced

00:12 consequences internally after sharing Instagram stories expressing solidarity with Palestine.

00:18 Her reposted content received backlash within the agency and the broader industry, prompting

00:23 her to step away from leadership roles within CAA's motion pictures department.

00:28 Despite this, Cruise, a significant client of hers, went out of his way to meet Dhakhil

00:33 at her CAA office, showcasing unwavering support during the challenging time.

00:39 This uncommon gesture underlined Cruise's solidarity with Dhakhil amid the controversy

00:43 surrounding her posts, as reported by Online Portal.

00:48 Dhakhil's Instagram post touching on the Israel-Hamas conflict triggered discussions in Hollywood

00:54 about the boundaries of expression, particularly on sensitive geopolitical issues.

01:00 Dhakhil faced internal repercussions after posting messages, including one stating, "What's

01:06 more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening?"

01:11 She resigned from the agency's board following another repost that read, "In part, you're

01:17 currently learning who supports genocide," along with her added caption.

01:23 In response to the backlash, Dhakhil deleted both images and issued a public apology, "I

01:29 made a mistake with reposts in my Instagram story, which used hurtful language. Like many,

01:35 I have been reeling with heartbreak. I pride myself on standing for humanity and peace,"

01:41 Maha stated in an Online Portal interview.

01:46 Even Suzanne Sarandon got dropped by the Hollywood talent agency UTA because she spoke at a rally

01:52 supporting Palestine during the Israel-Hamas war. This was confirmed by a spokesperson

01:57 for the agency in an Online Portal.

02:00 [music]

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