Tom Cruise Supports Agent Amidst Controversy Over Pro-Palestine Social Media Posts
Hollywood, Last month, Maha Dakhil, the co-head of the film at the renowned Hollywood agency CAA, faced internal backlash and resigned from her position on the agency’s board.
In a surprising turn of events, Tom Cruise has demonstrated his unwavering support for his agent, Maha Dakhil, who stepped away from leadership roles at talent agency CAA due to her reposting Instagram Stories in support of Palestine. According to a report by Variety, Dakhil was relieved of her duties as co-chief of the motion pictures department, but she retained her position as an agent following Tom Cruise’s endorsement.
The report indicates that Tom Cruise personally met with Maha Dakhil at her CAA office on November 15, taking the unusual step of showing up in person to support his agent during a challenging time.
Maha Dakhil, a prominent agent at CAA, sparked controversy with her Instagram posts last month, including one that expressed, “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.” She faced internal backlash and resigned from the agency’s board after reposting an image on Instagram that read, in part, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide.” In the caption, she added, “That’s the line for me.”
Following criticism from within and rival agencies, Dakhil deleted both images and issued a public apology. In October, she stated to Variety, “I made a mistake with a repost in my Instagram Story, which used hurtful language. Like so many of us, I have been reeling with heartbreak. I pride myself on being on the side of humanity and peace.”
Maha Dakhil is not the only figure in Hollywood to face repercussions amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Hollywood talent agency UTA dropped Susan Sarandon as a client after she spoke at a pro-Palestine rally, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the agency in a Deadline report.
The Oscar-winning actor attended multiple rallies in support of Palestine and drew criticism for stating, “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.”
In video-captured remarks, Susan Sarandon encouraged others to keep speaking up in support of Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict. “People are questioning, people are standing up, people are educating themselves, people are stepping away from brainwashing that started when they were kids,” she expressed during the rally.
#TomCruise Stepped In To Save His Agent #MahaDakhil From Being Fired Due To Her #Israel–#Palestine Posts – Reports @TomCruise #Hollywood #Celebrity #LatestUpdate #News https://t.co/BNTFO4qhlB
— LatestLY (@latestly) November 22, 2023