Mark Ruffalo tells Kevin O’Leary to 'STFU' after criticism of Billie Eilish’s Grammys speech
Photo: AFP/Reuters
Mark Ruffalo has publicly criticised Kevin O’Leary following the businessman’s remarks about Billie Eilish’s recent Grammy Awards speech, escalating an already heated debate over celebrity activism and political expression.
Eilish’s comments at the ceremony, in which she accepted the award for song of the year, prompted strong reactions online and across broadcast media. Speaking on Fox News, O’Leary dismissed the singer’s intervention, stating, “It’s the first lesson 101 for celebrity: as you rise up, whether you’re a film star or music star or whatever, shut your mouth, and just entertain.”
🚨 Kevin O'Leary: “Billie Eilish's agents are going out of their minds. The first lesson for celebrities, whether you are a music star or film star, is shut your mouth and just entertain.”pic.twitter.com/hoLOHYI5WS
Ruffalo responded on Threads with a sharply worded post addressed to O’Leary, writing, “Why don’t you STFU.” He continued, “You will go on any show and talk shit about any number of things and smugly expect us to listen to you, but you will dig into a real artist that dwarfs anything you dream of doing for actually saying something that resonates with 100’s of millions of people the world over. It’s astounding the fantasy double standard Kevin O’Leary lives in. You played yourself well in Marty Supreme.”
Photo: Threads
In the film Marty Supreme, O’Leary portrays a ruthless businessman who bankrolls a ping pong prodigy while subjecting him to repeated humiliation, a role Ruffalo referenced in his remarks.
At the Grammys, Eilish said, “As grateful as I feel, I honestly don’t feel like I need to say anything but that no one is illegal on stolen land,” adding that she felt compelled to keep “fighting and speaking up and protesting,” before ending her speech with, “fuck ICE.”
Eilish’s brother, Finneas, later defended her on Threads, commenting, “Seeing a lot of very powerful old white men outraged about what my 24-year-old sister said during her acceptance speech.”
He also responded a USA Today opinion piece that questioned celebrity political commentary, stating, “You just can’t do both. You can’t say it doesn’t matter what musicians or celebrities say or think but then talk about it for days. You’re out here making it matter. I’ll keep speaking up especially if it keeps bothering you.”
Amid the backlash, Finneas also took to Instagram to add, "As far as I am concerned, all of this attention and backlash is just part of the death rattle of the current ruling class. You can only be punished for being on the right side of history in the short term".
The exchange has further fuelled discussion about the expectations placed on public figures when addressing political issues.