Millionaire actor Mark Ruffalo is publicly lobbying California Attorney General Rob Bonta to kill a settlement that would clear the path for Paramount's $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery — and if he gets his way, tens of thousands of working-class film jobs could leave the state for good.
Ruffalo tagged Bonta on X, writing: "Don't you dare @AGRobBonta, do not cave." He claimed 5,670 filmmakers had "put their necks on the line" and more than 75,000 people signed a petition urging state attorneys general to hold the line. He also called for protesters to show up outside Bonta's Oakland office, claiming the AG was "about to cave" on what Ruffalo called a "backroom deal."
The Block the Merger Coalition is backing the pressure campaign, arguing that any settlement built on unenforceable promises would be worthless. "An agreement based only on unenforceable concessions is a win only for David Ellison. It is an L for everyone else," the coalition said. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has also joined the effort.
Here's what Ruffalo and his coalition aren't advertising: Paramount is running out of patience with California. The company faces a $7 million-a-day "ticking fee" if the merger stays delayed past September 30. It has also raised the possibility of pulling out of California entirely, with Nashville, Austin, and Georgia identified as possible destinations. Economists cited by the New York Post estimate a full departure could cost Los Angeles as many as 58,000 jobs.
TMZ, which broke the news that internal discussions in the LA Mayor's Office and the AG's office were told Paramount would announce its departure Tuesday, framed Ruffalo's intervention as an "impassioned plea" and highlighted his claim that Bonta's constituents would "be hurt if you let this lousy deal filled with empty promises go forward." The Post provided the critical context the celebrity-friendly outlet buried: the real-world consequences for blue-collar workers if the deal collapses and the studio bolts.
Former LA mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt called it straight on X: "Ruffalo doesn't give a f–k about all the blue collar film workers who are dying out there. He's got his millions, and he's willing to f–k the rest of the industry for petty politics."
Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general are currently negotiating with Paramount CEO David Ellison over the antitrust lawsuit. A trial is scheduled for March 2027 if no settlement is reached.
The same people who lecture the country about democracy and working families are now using celebrity clout and organized pressure campaigns to override a legal negotiation between a state government and a major employer — with 58,000 livelihoods hanging in the balance. The question isn't whether the merger is good or bad. It's who actually pays when coastal elites decide to make a point.
