Juliana Margulies expresses concern over the entertainment industry’s silence on antisemitism. Juliana conveyed her disappointment that more individuals in the entertainment world aren’t addressing the issue of antisemitism. Speaking at Variety’s Hollywood and Antisemitism Summit in Los Angeles, Margulies expressed her attempt to comprehend why not everyone in their industry is taking a stand against this hatred.
“I don’t understand,” she added. “Perhaps they’re apprehensive. I genuinely don’t know what they’re afraid of… losing followers?” Margulies continued. “It’s bewildering to me.”
Margulies, who is of Jewish heritage and stars as a journalist in Apple TV’s “The Morning Show,” recounted a situation from her time on the series that she now regrets. During a costume fitting, a designer placed a cross around her neck as part of her character’s wardrobe, intending it to symbolize her character’s journalistic travels.
Juliana Margulies (Credits: Variety)
“I didn’t think twice,” Margulies said. “I put on the cross, and when the character gained popularity, I found it in my dressing room the next season.”
Following her involvement in the second season of “The Morning Show,” Margulies took the lead in a Holocaust education program at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York. This experience prompted her to question, “Why did I not pause and ask, ‘Why am I wearing a cross?'”
Margulies acknowledged that while she doesn’t believe religious aspects need to be part of her character’s backstory, she intends to be more conscientious in the future. She also raised the question of why it’s so simple to wear a cross on television but not equally easy to wear a Star of David.
Margulies joined the conversation on the appropriateness of casting actors to portray characters from various backgrounds and orientations, addressing her role as a gay, lesbian journalist while being a married woman in real life. She acknowledged that this issue is a complex and nuanced one.
Regarding her work with the Museum of Jewish Heritage, Margulies shared her passion for educating children about the Holocaust and noted the positive impact this educational effort is having. “It’s working,” she said. “We’ve reached 7000 kids who knew nothing about Jews and the Holocaust.”
