And you thought John Cusack was an actor?
From movie star to online firebrand, John Cusack’s fall from grace is marked not by fading fame, but by a barrage of vitriol that has made him a pariah.
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John Cusack, the acclaimed actor known for iconic roles in *Say Anything...* and *High Fidelity*, has become a lightning rod for controversy due to his outspoken criticism of Israel following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages.
Since the onset of the Gaza war, Cusack’s X feed, with 1.8 million followers, has been a near-daily platform for denouncing Israel’s military actions, accusing the state of genocide, and amplifying pro-Palestinian narratives. His rhetoric has drawn sharp accusations of antisemitism, reigniting debates about his history of inflammatory posts and raising questions about the line between political critique and prejudice.
A Surge in Anti-Israel Commentary
Cusack’s activism intensified after Hamas’s vicious assault, which marked the deadliest day in Israel’s history. In response, Israel launched a bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza. Cusack has framed Israel’s actions as disproportionate and criminal, frequently calling them a “genocide” and accusing the U.S. of complicity. In a May 7, 2025, X post, he wrote, “Gaza is being annihilated. Thousands upon thousands of children are dead. Entire bloodlines erased. And the United States is the supplier, sponsor, and shield of the killing. Netanyahu is not a defender. He’s a butcher.”
His posts often highlight Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, including starvation and civilian casualties. On October 17, 2023, he tweeted, “So the cycle will be - keep slaughter[ing] Palestinians - and then show Hamas crimes to justify it? How long how many dead?” Cusack has also criticized Israel’s blockade of Gaza, echoing a British minister’s claim to the BBC that Israel uses hunger as a “weapon of war.” In a June 24, 2025, post, he accused Israel and the U.S. of “lawless” actions, claiming Iran adheres to international law while Israel commits “genocide with our tax dollars."
Accusations of Antisemitism and Denials of Hamas Atrocities
Cusack’s rhetoric has drawn fierce backlash, particularly from pro-Israel groups like StopAntisemitism, which named him “Antisemite of the Week” on January 26, 2024, for denying Hamas’s October 7 mass rapes, labeling Hamas a “charitable organization,” and claiming Israel funded Hamas to undermine the Palestinian Authority. He retweeted a January 17, 2024, post asserting, “Hamas was originally a charity organization funded and supported by Israel,” and claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed Hamas to block a two-state solution. These claims, rooted in historical allegations of Israel’s early tolerance of Hamas to counter Fatah, are contested and lack evidence tying Israel to Hamas’s 2023 actions.
StopAntisemitism provided screenshots of Cusack’s posts, including one retweeting a blog by Nazareth-based journalist Jonathan Cook, who dismissed evidence of Hamas’s sexual violence as Israeli propaganda, despite police reports and survivor testimonies. Another post Cusack shared featured a Mark Twain quote about reading “obituaries with great pleasure,” applied to “Zionist obituary notices,” which critics called a veiled celebration of Jewish deaths. Cusack responded by calling the accusations a “complete list of lies,” but deleted the tweet hours later, also accusing StopAntisemitism and the International Legal Forum of “weaponizing racism against peace activists.”
Israeli producer Avi Lerner, who worked with Cusack on films like *The Paperboy*, publicly criticized him, emailing the actor to say he would “not find any more work in Hollywood” and sarcastically suggesting he seek employment with Hamas. On X, users like @RealKeatonHobby slammed Cusack’s “unhinged” rhetoric, arguing the Gaza conflict is a “complex security issue, not genocide,” and citing 65% GOP voter support for Israel’s fight against Hamas.
A History of Controversy
Cusack’s anti-Israel activism predates 2023. In 2014, during the Gaza war, he tweeted that bombing trapped civilians “is not defense” and criticized Israel’s West Bank security barrier as an “apartheid wall.” His most notorious incident came in 2019, when he retweeted an antisemitic meme depicting a Star of David crushing people, paired with a neo-Nazi quote misattributed to Voltaire: “To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” Cusack added, “follow the money,” before deleting the post and apologizing, claiming he mistook it for a critique of an Israeli hospital bombing. Critics, like Jewish writer Elad Nehorai, questioned how a “bot” could prompt such a specific comment.
Since October 7, Cusack has doubled down, supporting figures like Rep. Ilhan Omar and celebrating South Africa’s 2023 International Court of Justice petition accusing Israel of genocide. He criticized Western nations for cutting UNRWA funding after its employees’ alleged involvement in the October 7 attack, calling it “collective punishment.” In November 2023, he clashed with actor Michael Rapaport over X, calling him a “f------ clown” for urging focus on freeing Israeli hostages, while insisting he sought “justice for Jewish and Palestinian lives.”
Cusack retweeted pro-Palestinian views, including a December 2023 post urging, “Stop the killing,” and emphasized peace for both sides. In a January 18, 2024, tweet, he expressed horror at a video of a Palestinian doctor amputating his daughter’s leg without anesthesia, reinforcing his focus on Gaza’s humanitarian toll.
Cusack insists he seeks peace, stating on October 14, 2023, “Hamas is evil and Israel must do everything it can to make Hamas face justice… How can we make the leap from there - to slaughtering Palestinians?” Yet his denial of documented Hamas atrocities, like mass rapes, and inflammatory language—calling Israel a “state of murder” and Netanyahu a “butcher”—have alienated even liberal peers like Rapaport, who he blocked on X. His May 30, 2024, attack on Nikki Haley for writing “Finish Them” on Israeli artillery shells, calling her a “deathkkul ghoul,” further escalated tensions.
Critics point to his selective outrage, noting his relative silence on Hamas’s hostage-taking and rocket attacks. The 2019 meme incident and recent posts echoing antisemitic tropes, like Jewish control conspiracies, have cemented his reputation in pro-Israel circles as a “Hamas apologist,” a charge he rejects as a “smear to distract.”
Hollywood and Beyond
Cusack’s "activism" has raised questions about his career. Despite Lerner’s threats, he dismissed concerns about Hollywood repercussions, tweeting on January 18, 2024, “I pity those scoundrels who think that I care about my projects in Hollywood while genocide is being committed in Gaza.” His January 28, 2024, appearance at Birmingham’s Alys Stephens Center for a *Love and Mercy* screening proceeded without incident, though Jewish News
Syndicate noted that being blocked by Cusack on X is a “badge of honor” in pro-Israel circles.
As the Gaza war continues, Cusack continues with his relentless posts, struggling to stay relevant. He used to be a talented actor, now he's just a sad, bitter and angry has-been, and everyone knows it.
A tragic end indeed.