Actor Mark Ruffalo is ramping up pressure on California Attorney General Rob Bonta amid reports of settlement talks over the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, warning the Democrat not to “cave” and urging supporters to rally outside his Oakland office.

“Don’t you dare @AGRobBonta, do not cave,” Ruffalo wrote Saturday on X.

Ruffalo’s lobbying comes as the massive transaction remains on hold under a court agreement and Paramount CEO David Ellison clashes with Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general over the company’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

In July, the states sued to block the deal, arguing it would reduce competition and give the combined company excessive market power in film distribution and basic cable programming.

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Actor Mark Ruffalo urged California Attorney General Rob Bonta not to “cave” amid reported settlement talks over the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. (Hoda Davaine/Getty Images)

As the megadeal remains on hold, Ellison has reportedly threatened to move Paramount to Texas, Tennessee or Georgia if the dispute is not resolved by Oct. 1. The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in March if a settlement is not reached.

Settlement negotiations remain ongoing.

Ruffalo strongly urged Bonta to reject any settlement that would allow the transaction to move forward. He cited thousands of filmmakers and tens of thousands of petition signatures opposing the merger.

“You work for the people — the very people who will be hurt if you let this lousy deal filled with empty promises go forward,” Ruffalo wrote. “Please sign to send a message to the AG’s and Paramount. Reject the deal. The people don’t want it!”

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta believes Paramount’s planned takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery is simply “an illegal merger.”  (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

In a follow-up post, Ruffalo called on Bay Area opponents of the merger to gather outside Bonta’s Oakland office.

“To my friends in the Bay Area: I’m hearing Rob Bonta is about to cave and hand Warner Bros over to the Ellisons. We can’t let him do that. Can you show up outside his AG office in Oakland tomorrow at 5pm to reject this backroom deal?” Ruffalo wrote.

The Block the Merger Coalition, which says more than 75,000 people have joined its campaign opposing concessions, argued that a settlement based on unenforceable promises would not adequately address its concerns.

“The rumored ‘deal’ to usher the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger forward is an insult to everyone who has stood up against this harmful transaction and to the hundreds of thousands of workers, journalists, and consumers who will be hurt if it goes forward,” the organization said in a statement.

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general sued to block Paramount’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. (Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“Let’s be very clear: an agreement based only on unenforceable concessions is a win only for David Ellison. It is an L for everyone else.”

The Hollywood fight isn’t entirely one-sided. Spencer Pratt, who ran for governor of California, criticized Ruffalo’s position, arguing that blocking the transaction could hurt rank-and-file film workers.

Bonta’s office previously addressed reports that Paramount has raised the possibility of moving operations out of California.

“It’s no secret that Paramount has been making this threat despite its alleged commitment to California and Hollywood,” Bonta’s office told FOX Business.

“What Paramount decides to do is Paramount’s choice alone,” his office added.

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FOX Business has reached out to Bonta’s office for comment.

FOX Business’ Stepheny Price and Lorraine Taylor contributed to this report.

The parents of a teenage girl with a rare form of childhood cancer say the hidden costs of caring for their daughter have left them in fear of losing their home.

Maya, 13, from Hythe in Kent, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at three years old, but relapsed in 2023 having been in remission for five years.

Her mother, Dellanie, said the pressure of paying a mortgage and bills whilst she and her husband, Terry, are working less to care for Maya is continuing to take its toll on their family of five.

Dellanie, an NHS nurse, said: “Whilst your child is poorly and you are fighting for her life, the bills don’t stop coming.”

She added: “My husband has lost his income as he is caring for Maya, and these days you need two people working just to keep your head above water.

“It has been very, very difficult but our aim has always been to to look after our child as well as each other.

“I always put a brave face on – of course I’m hurting, but I can’t be in the corner crying.”

Maya, who her mother described as a “larger than life person” who loves animals and music, was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma near her adrenal gland when she was three-years-old.

Sir Ed Davey is calling on the government to immediately cut fuel duty by 10p a litre until Christmas as part of a package of policies aimed at cutting the cost of living.

The Liberal Democrat leader is also urging the government to scrap a permanent increase in fuel duty which is set to take effect in January.

Fuel duty was frozen under the Conservatives in March 2022 and Sir Keir Starmer’s government continued the freeze, deciding in May to push back a planned 3p increase in September until the end of this year.

The Lib Dems claim cutting 10p from fuel duty now would mean fuel would drop by 12p per litre at the pump.

Sir Ed claimed drivers should be supported and a temporary three-month fuel duty cut would pay for itself by stimulating the economy.

“Petrol and diesel prices are higher than they’ve been for a long time because of Trump’s mad war with Iran, and people need help now,” he said.

The policy would cost about £2bn, he said, adding: “It’s a three-month package, a temporary package, but if you look at the extra money the government will get through the energy profits levy, from gas taxes, from VAT and fuel duty, it’s self-funding.”

In a speech to his party’s conference on Tuesday, Sir Ed will make further calls to cut the bus fare cap from £3 to £1, and reduce rail fares by 10%.

He will also call for VAT to be dropped from public charging points for electric vehicles and a review of network costs the Lib Dems have labelled unfair.

Chancellor John Healey is under pressure to raise taxes or cut spending at his Budget next month, amid soaring government borrowing costs.

Asked about Sir Ed’s call for a fuel duty cut, Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson told Laura Kuenssberg: “I’m sure John Healey will be open to any and all suggestions ahead of the budget but actually this is an area where the Labour government has taken action on fuel duty already.

“Whilst I recognise what the Lib Dems have to say on this topic, this is the element of politics about it – they’ve got their conference, they’re making their pitch, good luck to them.”