Zoe Saldaña urges fans to ignore “trolling noise” over Paramount-Warner Bros. merger

Speaking with Variety in New York, Zoe Saldaña urged people to slow down the hot takes around the proposed Paramount –Warner Bros. merger and do their homework before weighing in. She called out the “trolling noise” that’s been fueling the conversation and said she’s been asking around the industry herself to better understand what’s actually on the table.

“I do believe that not everything is as it may appear, and it's always good to reserve judgment until you feel educated enough to make a judgment.”

Saldaña added that the loudest voices online aren’t necessarily the most informed.

“If there's noise to not listen to, it's the trolling noise. It's doing the research on your own and trying to educate yourself and understand why something works and why it doesn't before we jump on a headline or a sound bite and we amplify a very negative message that can actually become harmful.”

She said she’s been doing exactly that — researching and checking in with people she knows across the business to sort fact from speculation.

The pushback so far

The call for cooler heads lands amid heavy criticism of the deal. According to the BBC, an open letter opposing the merger has drawn signatures from roughly 1,400 actors and filmmakers, arguing that further consolidation could mean fewer movies and fewer jobs.

• Emma Thompson
• Javier Bardem
• Ben Stiller

There have also been reported legal headwinds in the U.S., with officials in a dozen states reportedly mounting challenges to the proposed tie-up.

Across the Atlantic, British actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming, and Benedict Wong penned an op-ed in The Guardian urging the UK government to scrutinize the deal, warning of potential layoffs and canceled productions if it goes through. UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy has publicly indicated she’s interested in getting involved.