In one of the more unexpected headlines of 2026, it appears the author Sally Rooney may have committed a terrorist offence. Her publisher Faber has announced that the best-selling Irish author’s books will no longer be published in the UK, as Rooney is unable to receive royalties here (or, indeed, even set foot in the country) without risking prosecution due to her ongoing support for Palestine Action, an activist group proscribed as a terrorist organisation under UK law.
The news has been widely mischaracterised as a ‘book ban’ – it is not. Rooney and her publisher have chosen to withdraw her books from sale (albeit under duress) and it is this that I find most admirable. The UK is likely one of her biggest markets and yet Rooney (a frequent and vocal advocate for Palestine) has chosen to forgo a significant chunk of earnings to make a political point. In an era of empty celebrity activism, how refreshing to see a public figure actually putting their money where their mouth is.
Over the last decade or so, celebrity activism has become increasingly fashionable, so much so that it’s now almost expected that public figures will take a stance on the social and political issues of the day. This is not, in itself, a bad thing – with their enormous platforms and wealthy social circles, the average celebrity’s ability to raise awareness, galvanise support and fundraise often far outstrips that of us normies.
But many A-listers have also cottoned on to how being perceived as a social-justice advocate can bolster their personal brands, as they attempt to reap the benefits derived from being considered a morally upstanding ‘activist’ without actually doing very much. We’re all familiar with hollow celebrity activism that extends only as far as reposting things on Instagram, championing relatively uncontroversial issues (Nicola Peltz Beckham’s status as ‘dog activist’ springs to mind here) or – my personal bugbear – the grandiose co-signing of an ‘open letter’. It is vanishingly rare to see someone take a position that materially impacts their commercial interests, as Rooney has done.
On this front, Rooney – a writer elevated to near-celebrity status by dint of her enormous success – is following in a long literary tradition of writers. In 2024, amid boycotts of several literary festivals sponsored by investment firm Baillie Gifford (which has links to fossil fuels and the arms trade), author Richard Flanagan refused £50,000 in prize money from the firm’s literary award. And both Rooney and Flanagan join the company of Ed Sheeran’s supporting acts, who withdrew from his world tour after fellow support act Macklemore was removed from the line-up over his support for Palestine – forgoing the not-insignificant exposure and revenue afforded by touring alongside one of the biggest artists in the world.
It’s easy (and, I’d argue, correct) to be cynical about celebrity activism, but this cohort is raising the standard for all celebrities – and perhaps even setting an example for the rest of us too.
Otegha Uwagba is a bestselling author and culture journalist who has written three books: We Need To Talk About Money, Whites: On Race And Other Falsehoods, and Little Black Book: A Toolkit for Working Women. She's profiled figures including Fran Lebowitz, Naomi Campbell and Issa Rae and contributes to publications including the Guardian, Vogue, The Gentlewoman, New York Magazine, the Sunday Times, and the New Statesman. She also writes Add To Wishlist, a monthly culture and style Substack with thousands of subscribers.