Mark Ruffalo has been given a dressing down after becoming embroiled in an extraordinary public clash with Paramount.

The actor, 58, is locked in the row after attacking David and Larry Ellison over the media giant's proposed $110billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery - while linking their business interests to Israel's military actions in Gaza.

Mark criticised Paramount chief David Ellison and his father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, in an Instagram post on Friday (21.08.26) as opposition to the Warner Bros Discovery acquisition continues in Hollywood.

Paramount responded on Saturday (22.08.26) by accusing Mark of invoking "antisemitic tropes" and saying applying terms including "genocide" and "apartheid" to a corporate transaction was "a bridge too far".

Mark shared an older video featuring Oracle chief executive and Paramount board member Safra Catz discussing technology supplied to Israel after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023.

The actor also described Larry as a "classic Oligarch" and warned his followers about the potential consequences of combining Paramount with Warner Bros Discovery.

Referring to Safra's comments in the video, Mark wrote "look how she revels in what we now have come to see as a genocide, which was built on an apartheid system of oppression powered by Oracle."

He also accused David and Larry of "powering some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world".

Paramount rejected the actor's characterisation of the proposed takeover and criticised his language.

A Paramount spokesperson said: "(The company is) troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute. Words like 'genocide' and 'apartheid', applied to a corporate transaction, aren't just wrong - they're a bridge too far, and they cheapen the very real suffering those words are meant to describe.

"This doesn't deserve a response in kind - and to be clear, we don't tolerate prejudice of any kind, against anyone."

Paramount also said Mark's comments brought the dispute to "a moment to lower the temperature, not raise it".

The company added: "We'd rather build than further engage in such rhetoric. This simply exposes the true motivation of some who have advocated opposition to this transaction.

"On the other hand, our commitment to great content is matched by our commitment to acceptance - to every story, every storyteller, and no blacklists, no exceptions, for anyone."

The dispute comes at a critical point for Paramount's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery. The companies announced their definitive agreement in February, valuing Warner Bros Discovery at an enterprise value of $110billion and bringing businesses and franchises including Warner Bros, HBO, CNN, DC, Harry Potter and Game of Thrones under the same corporate umbrella as Paramount.

The transaction has received regulatory clearances in nearly 70 jurisdictions, but it remains challenged in the US by 12 state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America.

Paramount this week asked a federal judge to require the states challenging the acquisition to post a $1.88billion bond, arguing delays could leave it facing substantial fees.

Mark has been among Hollywood's prominent critics of the transaction, while concerns about consolidation, competition and employment have also emerged elsewhere in the entertainment industry.

A recent Los Angeles County report estimated that about 4,500 local film and television jobs could be at risk over three years if the deal proceeds.

The confrontation comes as Mark remains closely associated with Bruce Banner and the Hulk, whom he has played across the Marvel Cinematic Universe since The Avengers in 2012.

His Marvel appearances have included Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Mark has also received four Academy Award nominations for The Kids Are All Right, Foxcatcher, Spotlight and Poor Things, and won an Emmy for his dual performance in HBO's I Know This Much Is True.

His latest screen appearance as the Hulk is in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while Marvel is preparing for its next major ensemble film, Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for December.