Actor Mark Ruffalo is publicly urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to reject any settlement in the state's antitrust lawsuit against Paramount, as the studio seeks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Ruffalo directed his appeal at Bonta through a post on the attorney general's official account, according to TMZ.com.
"Don't you dare ... do not cave. 5,670 film makers put their necks on the line for you to fight this merger. Another 75,000+ and counting have signed to tell you not to concede in just 3 weeks," Ruffalo wrote, as reported by TMZ.com.
Ruffalo further argued that Bonta's constituents would "be hurt if you let this lousy deal filled with empty promises go forward," according to TMZ.com.
The public pressure campaign comes amid ongoing negotiations between California state and local Los Angeles officials and Paramount. Those talks have gone back and forth without reaching a resolution so far, TMZ.com reported.
TMZ.com previously reported that internal discussions in the Los Angeles Mayor's Office and the California Attorney General's Office were told Paramount would announce it was leaving California on Tuesday, but that announcement has yet to come. The studio has threatened to depart the state permanently after Bonta filed a lawsuit against Paramount in an effort to stop its merger with Warner Bros.
The dispute carries significant stakes for California's entertainment workforce and the broader regional economy tied to film and television production. With thousands of industry professionals and members of the public weighing in against the merger, the outcome of the state's lawsuit and any potential settlement could shape the future of studio operations in Los Angeles and beyond.