Actor Mark Ruffalo has entered the debate following the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel. He warned Disney that the company’s stock would drop significantly if Disney chose to shut down Jimmy Kimmel Live! permanently.

Kimmel, who has been on ABC for more than two decades, was taken off the air following a monologue that mentioned the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The backlash was immediate. ABC subsequently announced an indefinite suspension, while fans flooded social media with outrage, with some even threatening to boycott Disney-owned products, including Disney+ and Hulu.

The controversy also caused financial tremors. Reports indicated that Disney’s stock fell nearly 2% in early trading once news of the suspension became public.

Mark Ruffalo reacts to ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Mark Ruffalo at "Mickey 17" - Press Conference - Source: GettyMark Ruffalo at “Mickey 17” – Press Conference – Source: Getty

Marvel star Mark Ruffalo has entered the debate over ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, linking the controversy directly to Disney’s financial outlook. In a post on Threads, Ruffalo boosted a report claiming that Disney shares had fallen by 7% since the late-night show was canceled. He added a stinging individual remark, writing:

“It’s going to go down a lot further if they cancel his show. Disney does not want to be the ones that broke America.”

Although the figure Mark Ruffalo cited was inaccurate, the company’s stock actually slipped around 1% on Thursday, September 18, followed by a 0.95% decline the next day.

Mark Ruffalo is not the only Hollywood actor to protest against Disney’s move. She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany encouraged fans to cancel Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN subscriptions.

Comedian Sarah Silverman and actor Josh Gad also criticized the suspension on social media, calling it a harmful precedent for free speech in late-night television.

Suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the Charlie Kirk controversy

The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! followed the September 10, 2025, episode in which Kimmel discussed the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk during an appearance at Utah Valley University.

In his monologue, Kimmel alleged that right-wing figures are trying to “spin” the event for political purposes. His comments were immediately seized upon by conservative lawmakers and media outlets as inflammatory.

What started as backlash on social media soon turned into coordinated actions, including advertiser boycotts and formal complaints to the Federal Communications Commission.

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I want to thank Nexstar for doing the right thing. Local broadcasters have an obligation to serve the public interest. While this may be an unprecedented decision, it is important for broadcasters to push back on Disney programming that they determine falls short of community

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr added to the controversy when he implied that Kimmel’s comments might be subject to regulatory investigation, further pressuring ABC and its parent company, Disney.

At the affiliate level, certain ABC affiliates, chiefly Nexstar Media Group, were concerned about whether they could keep on airing the show amid mounting political backlash. Nexstar, which owns a large portion of ABC affiliates across the country, privately communicated that it might drop the program if the dispute was not addressed.

By September 17, 2025, ABC announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be indefinitely suspended, stating the need to “review the matter.”