A midshow spat between comedian Dave Chappelle and a fan. Division within the writers’ union after months of solidarity. Private discussions among Hollywood executives and stars about antisemitism. The entertainment industry is grappling with the same debates over Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks and Israel’s response that are playing out on college campuses, in offices and among friends.
Now that the gravity of a growing coronavirus pandemic has settled in and people are looking to safeguard their health and their livelihoods, the entertainment industry is grappling with three essential questions: How painful will the toll of shutdowns be on the industry’s lowest-paid workers? How high will the financial losses climb? And how will the business handle the unprecedented domino effect on Hollywood’s traditional calendar?
