Hollywood star Debra Messing has revealed she felt “shocked” and as though she had been “betrayed” by her peers after the October 7 terror attacks. In a candid live interview in Sydney, the actress opened up about the personal and professional fallout from speaking out against the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
Debra Messing Speaks Out in Sydney
Speaking at an event hosted by the fundraising group Jewish Communal Appeal (JCA), Messing explained that her outspoken stance led to losing friends and feeling alienated within her own industry. “I remember sitting in my kitchen and watching the news and going cold and feeling paralysed. The shock was instant, and the trauma and fear and grief were instant,” Messing told Sky News host Sharri Markson. “I feel like my life is everything before October 7 and everything after.”
The October 7 attacks saw Hamas target southern Israel, killing more than a thousand people, most of whom were civilians. Hundreds more, including women and children, were kidnapped and taken back to Gaza. Israel retaliated with a relentless bombing campaign that ultimately killed tens of thousands in Gaza.
Hollywood’s Silence
Messing said she immediately spoke out to raise awareness after the attacks but was shocked to discover she felt alone in her activism. “I really expected the Hollywood community to join me. My entire career I’d been part of this very liberal, inclusive community,” she said. “No one stepped forward, and I remember being so shocked and angry.”
The Will & Grace actress was “stunned” that other Hollywood stars did not want to speak out about the hostages being held by Hamas. “I was so stunned. How can anyone defend not speaking out for these hostages? I was disgusted, honestly,” said Messing. “I felt betrayed and abandoned. I felt like I was completely alone, and I know that isn’t special to me... and I have lost so many friends.”
Security and Personal Struggles
There was a significant police presence alongside the Jewish Community Security Group to ensure the safety of those attending Sunday’s event. Messing said she had been horrified, but sadly not surprised, by the Bondi terror attack targeting a Chanukah by the Sea celebration, in which 15 people were killed.
Messing grew up in the US state of Rhode Island, where her family’s home was often vandalised because they were Jewish. She said it had been horrifying to realise Jewish people are still in so much “danger” in 2026. Messing explained that it has also been a “mourning process” to realise she was often alone when speaking out against anti-Semitism.
On a personal level, Messing said it had been hard to navigate the “vile” responses she receives online when speaking out in support of Jewish people. “It has been the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced,” she said. “It has been a real struggle, and it has been up and down. I felt incredibly depressed for a period, and I felt enraged, and I really needed help from a therapist.”
Connection to Israel and Hope for the Future
The last two years have also helped Messing connect further with Israel, to the point that she is in the process of applying for dual citizenship. “There was a moment where I was feeling like the United States was no longer safe. Especially in New York City,” she admitted. “When I’m in (Israel), that is home, and regardless of all of the missiles, I feel safest there.”
The Will & Grace star argued that, with anti-Semitism so prevalent, the Jewish community needs to keep fighting. “As Jews, we need to be louder and prouder because they want to silence us and they want to scare us and they want us to feel shame,” she said. She added that “young Jewish kids are going to save us” because they are the leaders the community needs. “They are focused, disciplined, angry and proud, and they are making change happen, and that is what gives me hope!” said Messing. “I see these kids, and they’re unstoppable, and we need to support them and their efforts.”
Messing stressed that, even considering how hard the last few years have been for the Jewish community, she still retains hope for the future. “What gives me hope is that we’re still here after 3000 years, and we’re here to bring light into the dark, and we are living in a darker time, but we are still showing our light, and we will get through this together,” she said.
