Hollywood turns against Ed Sheeran after removing Macklemore from his tour over his messages about Palestine
Actors and other public figures have lashed out at the British singer
T he controversy surrounding Ed Sheeran's tour has taken a new turn. What began with Macklemore's removal from the lineup over his statements in support of Palestine has ended up directly splashing onto the British singer. In recent hours, several Hollywood figures have publicly questioned the decision and have used their social media to show their support for the American rapper.
Among the most critical voices is actress Hannah Einbinder, known for her role in Hacks, who addressed Sheeran directly on social media . Marissa Bode, one of the stars of Wicked, also posted a message in which she publicly defended the Palestinian cause and criticized the British artist.
A decision that has ended up causing a domino effect
The origin of the controversy dates back to Macklemore’s performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where the rapper used his appearance to speak about the situation of the Palestinians and call for a “Free Palestine.” Days later, he announced that he had been removed from the remaining dates of the U.S. tour.
Sheeran later explained that the decision had not come from him. According to his version, several stadium owners had warned that they did not want to have Macklemore at their venues, and there was a risk that some performances would be canceled . The singer said that he prefers not to turn his concerts into spaces for doing politics, although he stated that he respects his colleague expressing his own convictions.
His explanations, far from settling the matter, have sparked new criticism. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders also spoke out on the case and questioned whether owners of large venues should be able to condition an artist’s participation based on their political views. Specifically, he pointed to businessman Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, for his role in the controversy.
As the debate continued to grow , the tour began to lose some of its guest artists. Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother, announced that he would not participate in the upcoming dates and showed his support for Macklemore. The Irish band Beoga and musicians Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham also announced their departure from the project.
The situation now leaves Sheeran facing a tour marked by a controversy that goes far beyond a change in the lineup . The singer maintains his stance of staying out of political issues , while his detractors believe that the decision regarding Macklemore has ended up becoming, precisely, a debate about freedom of expression and about the limits that exist for artists when they use a major stage to defend certain causes.
