Hollywood jews

Mazal tov to Mel Brooks: The 100-year-old man

Brooks, best known for directing irreverent films that became comedy classics, including The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Spaceballs, was born in Brooklyn on June 28, 1926.

Mel Brooks speaks onstage at the "Spaceballs" screening during the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival at TCL Chinese Theatre on April 21, 2024 in Hollywood, California.
 Sandra Bernhard performs during The Golden Probes Awards Gala at Sony Hall on November 03, 2025 in New York City.

Sandra Bernhard joins cast of 'The White Lotus' for upcoming season

Odessa A'zion at A24's "Marty Supreme" New York Premiere on Dec. 16, 2025 in New York, New York.

Jewish actress Odessa A’zion pushes back after IDF T-shirt controversy: ‘Not a zio!’

Lawrence Bender with Lana Melman.

Jewish producer Lawrence Bender talks antisemitism in films and Red Alert - interview


David Schwimmer condemns the rise of antisemitism, criticizes Kanye West

David Schwimmer joins the other Hollywood celebrities in calling out Kanye West's antisemitism in a new Instagram post.

David Schwimmer

Hulu’s ‘The Patient’ gets at a dynamic rarely seen on TV: Orthodox-Reform tensions

The show's creators worked with the production design and set decorating team to ensure that all the details were right, and true to Orthodox and Reform Jewish-American life.

 Laura Niemi as Beth Strauss and Steve Carell as Alan Strauss in "The Patient."

30 years ago, Brendan Fraser & Matt Damon starred in ‘School Ties’ — a cult classic on antisemitism

Among actors Brendan Fraser and Matt Damon's first roles are one of the few mainstream Hollywood films to focus on antisemitism at non-Jewish schools.

From left: Brendan Fraser, Randall Batinkoff, Matt Damon and Andrew Lowery at the Los Angeles premiere of the film, Sept. 11, 1992.

Adam Sandler dreams more than anything of coming to Israel

“Well, I haven’t been to Israel and I’m the Zohan, for God’s sake. I’m excited to get there,” said Adam Sandler in an interview to AARP.

 Adam Sandler is seen on the set of Netflix feature film, "Hustle" in Philadelphia, Aug. 27, 2021.

Did Maroon 5's Adam Levine have an affair with a model?

The 23-year-old model announced in a now-viral TikTok video that she had a long affair with Maroon 5 singer-songwriter Adam Levine.

Maroon 5 performance in Tel Aviv, May 9, 2022

Julia Garner and Brett Goldstein repeat as Jewish Emmy winners

Here's everything Jewish about Monday night's Emmy awards:

 Brett Goldstein poses for a picture with the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, for "Ted Lasso", at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.

Bob Rafelson, trailblazer of New Hollywood and creator of The Monkees, dies at 89

Bob Rafelson was a Jewish titan of New Hollywood, a regular collaborator of Jack Nicholson and a director and producer of work that would go on to influence a new generation of filmmakers. 

 American movie director Bob Rafelson poses for a photo on May 5, 1987.

Nehemiah Persoff, Jewish character actor, dies at 102

The Israeli-born performer, who died Tuesday from heart failure in his home of San Luis Obispo, California, at the age of 102, appeared in more than 200 stage and screen roles during his lifetime.

 Nehemiah Persoff has hundreds of screen credits from classic Hollywood films and TV shows. Clockwise from top left: "Some Like It Hot," "On The Waterfront," "Red Sky at Morning," "Yentl" and "Playhouse 90" (as Benito Mussolini).

'Seinfeld,' 'Toy Story' actress Estelle Harris dies at 93

Harris was born Estelle Nussbaum to candy-store owners Isaac and Anna Nussbaum in New York City in April 1928.

 Actress Estelle Harris poses during arrivals for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Tribute to Sophia Loren in Beverly Hills, California, May 4, 2011

Jewish sensitivity in publishing and Hollywood

You don’t need to imagine the outcry that would occur today if the character of Rosa Parks were played by a white actress.

 A SCENE from ‘A Stranger Among Us,’ starring Melanie Griffith.