Aaron Sorkin Drops CAA Over Controversial Social Media Posts Regarding Israel
Award-winning writer Aaron Sorkin has made the decision to drop Creative Artists Agency (CAA) due to controversial social media posts made by his agent Maha Dakhil regarding Israel. Dakhil, who represents A-list talent such as Tom Cruise and Natalie Portman, resigned from CAA’s internal board and stepped away from her leadership duties in the agency’s motion pictures department following her comments. Sorkin will be rejoining William Morris Endeavor (WME), the agency he was previously represented by before moving to CAA in 2017.
The controversy stems from social media posts made by Dakhil on October 18. She reposted a statement from an account labeled Free Palestine, which addressed Israel’s response to a recent terror attack. The reposted statement read, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide,” to which Dakhil added her own caption: “That’s the line for me.” She then posted a second photo captioned, “What’s more heartbreaking than witnessing genocide? Witnessing the denial that genocide is happening.” Both posts were later deleted from her account.
Dakhil apologized for her actions in a statement to Variety, saying, “I made a mistake with a repost in my Instagram story, which used hurtful language. Like so many of us, I have been reeling with heartbreak. I pride myself on being on the side of humanity and peace. I’m so grateful to Jewish friends and colleagues who pointed out the implications and further educated me. I immediately took the repost down. I’m sorry for the pain I have caused.”
Sorkin’s decision to leave CAA over the controversy highlights the importance of accountability and the impact of social media in the entertainment industry. As Hollywood continues to navigate sensitive topics such as politics and global conflicts, the public statements and actions of industry professionals are facing increased scrutiny.