Sara Ramirez has hinted at being potentially cut from the cast of And Just Like That following comments they've made in support of Palestine on social media. Photo / Invision
Sara Ramirez has hinted at being potentially cut from the cast of And Just Like That following comments they've made in support of Palestine on social media. Photo / Invision
Sara Ramirez, who stars in HBO’s And Just Like That series, has hinted that they have been cut from the cast of the hit show by the television network.
In an Instagram post uploaded to the platform on Wednesday, Ramirez suggested that they no longer play the character Che Diazin the Sex And The City reboot series due to their pro-Palestine stance.
Ramirez, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns both in real life and on-screen, has continuously posted content to their Instagram about the Israel-Hamas war and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza since November 2023.
They called out the Hollywood industry as “duplicitous” in the post on Wednesday and referenced their popular character on And Just Like That in the past tense.
“While they give awards away, casting directors and agents are making blacklists of actors and workers who post anything in support of Palestinians in Gaza to ensure they will not work again,” said Ramirez.
“While they lift up some of their own clients who have spoken up against this genocide, they are firing and letting others who have smaller platforms go.”
Continuing on, they said: “I get it. Awards are shiny and people need to pay their rent or feel special and powerful. Meanwhile we are beyond the 100 day mark on this ‘war’ that has been acknowledged by many, including the ICC, as a genocide. It’s wild how performative so many in Hollywood are. Even more performative than the last character I played.”
When approached for comment by the Daily Mail, HBO neither confirmed nor denied whether Ramirez had been axed from the series, which was renewed for a third season in August last year.
In November last year, Melissa Barrera was dropped from the cast of Scream VII by the studio Spyglass due to her vocal support for Palestine and her criticism of the Israeli government’s military strategy during the first months of the conflict.
Barrera drew comparisons between Gaza’s current state and “concentration camps,” calling the Israeli government’s actions “genocide and ethnic cleansing” and calling for an immediate ceasefire. She also shared her support and sympathy for Israeli victims and the Jewish community.
Spyglass shared a statement that said it had “zero tolerance” towards “false references to genocide,” clarifying that the studio removed Barrera as they deemed her comments as “antisemitic.”
However, the studio’s shock firing of Barrera did not sit well with people on the Internet. On X (formerly Twitter), “#boycottscream” began trending as fans scrutinised the studio’s decision.
Barrera is one of the few Hollywood stars to have spoken out about the Israel-Hamas conflict, as many are aware of the backlash and blacklisting they’d receive within the industry itself.
In another case, Susan Sarandon - a nine-time Golden Globe nominee and winner of an Oscar - was dropped by United Talent Agency after comments she’d made on the war at a pro-Palestine march in November in New York City.
Melissa Barrera (left) and Susan Sarandon were each dropped by Hollywood companies after making comments on the Israel-Hamas war that some deemed antisemitic. Photos / AP
“There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence,” said Sarandon, according to the New York Post.
The Post reported that she allegedly chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” with the crowd. The pro-Palestine chant has been viewed as antisemitic as some believe it suggests that Israel should be eradicated.
“There’s a terrible thing that’s happened where antisemitism has been confused with speaking up against Israel. I am against antisemitism. I am against Islamophobia,” she also said at the rally.
Sarandon has since apologised for her comments in a post on Instagram.
“This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true,” she wrote.
“I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity to the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so.”
A spokesperson for United Talent Agency confirmed that the agency was no longer representing Sarandon, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
