‘Game Of Thrones’ actor Liam Cunningham hits out at Hollywood “ignoring” Gaza
The Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham has hit out at people in Hollywood who are comfortable “ignoring” the ongoing war in Gaza.
The Irish actor, who played Davos Seaworth on the HBO show, and is also in the new Netflix sci-fi drama 3 Body Problem, was speaking ahead of a pro-Palestinian rally in Dublin on Wednesday (April 24).
Speaking about the conversations he has had with other people in the filmmaking industry, he said: “What concerns me is that the people who do care and are not doing anything are, in my opinion, worse than the people who don’t care.”
“That it sits well with them, they can ignore it.”
He also issued a warning to those who are not speaking out: “The internet doesn’t forget,” he said. “When this comes around, when the ICJ [International Court of Justice] and ICC [International Criminal Court] hopefully do their work honourably, it is going to come out.”
“And the people who didn’t talk – it is not going to be forgotten. It’s livestreamed this genocide – and the option to say you didn’t know is not an option. You did know and you did nothing, you stayed quiet. I need to be able to look in the mirror and that’s why I speak.”
A number of high-profile figures in the film industry have spoken out, with Ken Loach recently declaring his support for Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar acceptance speech.
While accepting the award for Best International Film for The Zone Of Interest, Glazer refuted his “Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people”.
Loach said that he had “great respect” for the director, calling him “very brave”. He said: “And I’m sure he understood the possible consequences, which makes him braver still, so I’ve got great respect for him and his work.”
Steven Spielberg, meanwhile, recently spoke about the current treatment of the Jewish community amid the current conflict.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” he said. “I am increasingly alarmed that we may be condemned to repeat history – to once again have to fight for the very right to be Jewish.”
“The echoes of history are unmistakable in our current climate. The rise of extremist views has created a dangerous environment, and radical intolerance leads a society to no longer celebrate differences but instead conspire to demonise those who are different to the point of creating ‘the Other.’”
He also went on to address the Israeli military action in Gaza, adding: “We can rage against the heinous acts committed by the terrorists of October 7 and also decry the killing of innocent women and children in Gaza.”
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Max Pilley
NME