Spanish actor Javier Bardem says his public criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza does not harm his career, telling AFP he is “getting more work than ever.” Bardem, who previously used a high-profile platform to call for an end to the conflict and for Palestinian freedom, attributes his continued career momentum to what he describes as shifting public discourse around the issue. At the February Oscars, where he presented a prize for best international feature film, he said, “No to war and a free Palestine.” He has promoted a new film at the Cannes Film Festival and reiterated that he thinks it is important to express his views despite disagreement.
While Bardem describes a positive outcome for himself, at least one other prominent actor and some lesser-known figures have reported the opposite experience after speaking out about Gaza and the occupied West Bank, according to Middle East Eye. The reports describe fewer opportunities for some critics. Bardem, however, says the pattern is not the one he is seeing, and argues that the “narrative” is changing and becoming less controlled, with wider awareness of consequences for justifying atrocities.
