Sarah Silverman Decries ‘Jewface’ Issue, Rips Hollywood for Failing to Cast Jewish Actors in Jewish Roles

Sarah Silverman has called out Hollywood for repeatedly casting non-Jewish actors to play Jewish characters — denouncing the industry for its “Jewface” problem.

The comedian pointed to Kathyrn Hahn’s upcoming role as Joan Rivers in a limit series, noting that Hahn was raised Catholic while Rivers was Jewish.

“There’s this long tradition of non-Jews playing Jews, and not just playing people who happen to be Jewish but people whose Jewishness is their whole being,” she said in Thursday’s episode The Sarah Silverman Podcast, later adding, “One could argue, for instance, that a Gentile playing Joan Rivers correctly would be doing what is actually called ‘Jewface.’”

Silverman, who was fired from a 2019 film for wearing blackface during a 2007 episode of her Comedy Central show, continued to argue that the entertainment industry should prioritize proper representation for all demographics and communities.

“It’s defined as when a non-Jew portrays a Jew with the Jewishness front and center, often with makeup or changing of features, big fake nose, all the New York-y or Yiddish-y inflection,” she said. “And in a time when the importance of representation is seen as so essential and so front and center, why does ours constantly get breached even today in the thick of it?”

While the comedian did not fault any non-Jewish actors for agreeing to play these roles, she argued that if there is a female Jewish character who is “courageous or deserves love, she is never played by a Jew,” listing several examples of that exact phenomenon.

She noted that Felicity Jones played Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Margo Martindale portrayed Bella Abzug, and Tracey Ullman played Betty Friedan. Rachael Brosnahan was also cast to play fictional Jewish comedian Miriam Maisel, who is largely inspired by Rivers.

Exclaiming that “representation fucking matters,” Silverman argued that it “has to also finally matter for Jews as well,” adding, “Especially Jewish women.”

Watch above, via YouTube.