David Schwimmer Slams Hollywood Friends For 'Unacceptable' Antisemitism Silence

Yahoo

08-03-2025

"Friends" star is taking a stand against antisemitism and calling out Hollywood stars for their silence.
The 58-year-old actor, best known for his role as Ross Geller on the iconic sitcom, addressed the issue during a powerful speech at the Anti-Defamation League's Never Is Now conference on Tuesday.
David Schwimmer urged fellow celebrities, particularly those who have built their careers by embracing their Jewish identity or portraying Jewish characters on screen, to publicly condemn rising antisemitic sentiments.
His message was clear: silence is not an option.
"Plenty of people I respect, even some of my heroes in entertainment, music and sports, have chosen to keep a low profile and sit this one out, including some whose careers have been made by leaning into their Jewish identity, and others who have won acclaim for playing Jews onscreen," he began. "Some of them are doing a lot behind the scenes, privately and in their own way, but so many have chosen not to say anything publicly at all."
Schwimmer added, "And if I can say something directly to them: I really wish you would. I wish you would stand up. I wish you would speak out, because your voice would be so meaningful to your fans who love you, to your community members who need you, to folks who can use just a little solidarity right now."
But he didn't stop there. "No one's asking you to solve the conflict of the Middle East," the actor continued. "Just say that you stand with your Jewish friends, colleagues, and neighbors against hatred and what's happening on our college campuses and in our schools and to Jewish-owned businesses is totally unacceptable."
Actress also delivered a powerful message at the Anti-Defamation League's Never is Now conference, where she received the prestigious International Leadership Award. The "Wonder Woman" star took the stage to passionately address the surge in antisemitism and called for the immediate release of hostages held in Gaza.
During her 12-minute acceptance speech, Gadot emphasized her pride in being an eighth-generation Jewish Israeli, drawing loud applause from the audience.
"With every hostage release we hear new testimonies of the horrors they've been through. Every minute for them is hell. Their lives are in danger and we need them home," Gadot declared, her voice resonating with urgency.
Addressing the rise in global antisemitism, Gadot did not mince words. "None of us can ignore the explosion of Jew hatred around the world anymore. We have had enough of Jew hatred we will confront anti-Semitism," she added. "We will call it out, but we will never let it not only defeat us but define us because our love is stronger than their hate."
Following her appearance, Gadot took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message with her 133.6 million followers. She reflected on the significance of standing up against hate and emphasized the resilience of the Jewish community.
"October 7 was a wake-up call, but it also reminded us of our resilience and unbreakable bond," the Israel Defense Forces veteran, who boasts 133.6M social media followers, wrote. "We must continue to educate, share our stories, and stand up against hate — because love will always be stronger."
Schwimmer also recently called on to take action against , now known as Ye, following the rapper's latest antisemitic outbursts on the social media platform X.
The 58-year-old actor took to Instagram over the weekend, criticizing Musk for allowing West to maintain a platform despite his repeated history of hate speech. The actor's powerful message came in response to Ye's most recent controversial post, in which he stated, 'I don't like or trust no Jewish person, and this is completely sober with no Hennessy.'
In his post, Schwimmer did not hold back, stating:
'We can't stop a deranged bigot from spewing hate-filled, ignorant bile… but we CAN stop giving him a megaphone, Mr. Musk. Kanye West has 32.7 million followers on your platform, X. That's twice as many people than the number of Jews in existence. His sick hate speech results in REAL LIFE violence against Jews.
I don't know what's worse, the fact that he identifies as a Nazi (which implies he wants to exterminate ALL marginalized communities including his own) or the fact that there is not sufficient OUTRAGE to remove and ban him from all social media at this point.
Silence is complicity."
The actor's plea follows Kanye's controversial post, in which he stated, "I don't like or trust no Jewish person, and this is completely sober with no Hennessy."