Maha Dakhil.
Photo: Mike Marsland/WireImage
Maha Dakhil, co-chairman of CAA’s film department, is vacating his senior positions following his comments on the war between Israel and Hamas, CAA Los Angeles has confirmed. Time 22 of October. She will continue to represent clients—her roster includes Tom Cruise, Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway, among others—but will also step down from CAA’s internal agency board. Comments included a repost of an Instagram story from Oct. 18 that said, “Right now you’re looking into who supports genocide,” with the text, “That’s my line,” and a second Instagram story that said, “What could be more heartbreaking than being witness of genocide? genocide? Witnessing the denial of the fact of genocide,” Time reported.
Dakhil later apologized for the post on October 18. “Word choice is important,” she wrote on Instagram, Deadline reports. “Dialogue heals. With each painful day, I listen and learn more from my friends. Thank you. I pray for all our families… I grieve for everyone who is suffering right now. I continue to mourn all the innocent lives. My mission is peace.”
“I made the mistake of reposting something on my Instagram Story that used offensive language,” Dakhil said in a follow-up statement on Oct. 19, according to Deadline. “Like many of us, I was shaking with grief. I am proud to be on the side of humanity and peace. I am so grateful to Jewish friends and colleagues who pointed out the consequences and educated me further. I immediately deleted the repost. I’m sorry for the pain I caused.”