Stephen Fry is a preeminent British Jewish actor, writer, broadcaster, director, and social activist. He is the former long-standing president of the mental health charity Mind and is widely celebrated as one of the most influential and respected cultural figures in the contemporary English-speaking world.
- Partnered with Hugh Laurie in A Bit of Fry & Laurie and starring in Blackadder, Fry is a cornerstone of British comedy. His golden-globe nominated portrayal of Oscar Wilde in Wilde remains a cinematic masterpiece.
- Author of bestselling novels and the celebrated Mythos trilogy, his narration of the Harry Potter audiobooks has made his voice globally recognizable.
- As a prominent humanist and former president of Mind, he has been a tireless campaigner for mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, and secular ethics.
Fry was among the foundational signatories of Independent Jewish Voices in 2007, a movement established to challenge the critical consensus of leading Jewish institutions and advocate for Palestinian rights based on international law. Deeply connected to his Jewish heritage—having lost much of his maternal family in the Holocaust—Fry firmly rejects the weaponization of antisemitism to silence legitimate, compassionate criticism of Israeli state behavior.
Stephen Fry has expressed “overwhelming sadness and heartache” regarding the conflict in Gaza and the loss of life. However, his public statements have largely focused on condemning the related surge in antisemitism, which has sparked significant debate. He was also among over 200 public figures who signed a letter calling for the release of Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti.