LOS ANGELES, Aug 23 — Actor and activist Mark Ruffalo has issued a strongly worded statement on Bluesky rejecting accusations of antisemitism, calling them “appalling and fundamentally dishonest,” and insisting that his recent criticism of a proposed US media mega‑merger has been deliberately distorted.

In the post, Ruffalo stresses that his comments were aimed at political leaders, corporate executives, and the implications of a US$111 billion (RM448 billion) merger, not at Jewish people.

He writes that equating scrutiny of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, military‑technology contracts, or Oracle’s leadership with hostility toward Jewish communities is “dishonest” and obscures legitimate public‑interest concerns.s

Ruffalo emphasises his long‑standing personal and professional ties to Jewish colleagues, friends, and loved ones, saying they have shaped “everything I know about acting, activism, and humanism.” He adds that his political views “should never be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people, for whom I have deep love and respect.”

The actor’s post centres on the proposed merger that would place CNN, HBO and Warner Bros. under the control of a single family, backed partly by foreign financing. Ruffalo argues that the deal poses serious risks to editorial independence, threatens the livelihoods of thousands of media workers, and raises unanswered questions about national security and foreign influence.

He notes that lawmakers from both major US parties have already called for a thorough review, yet regulators “still haven’t given the public a real answer.” Until then, he says, the merger should not proceed.

Ruffalo concludes by urging the public and policymakers to “dive boldly” into the implications of the deal rather than retreat from necessary scrutiny.