Amid Kanye West’s music return following his antisemitic controversy, actor Jonah Hill is looking back at one rapper’s antics.
For years, the “Stronger” artist was spewing offensive and derogatory remarks towards the Jewish community. In 2023, West renounced his vitriol against Jews, citing Hill’s movie as the inspiration behind his change of heart.
Now, the “War Dogs” star is addressing the viral moment and where he stands with West.
Jonah Hill Hopes Kanye West Can ‘Heal’ Despite ‘Bizarre’ Past
During a recent interview, Hill revisited West’s remarks, explaining that he has no beef with the disgraced artist.
“I felt that he did this bizarre public thing to kind of make up, like, ‘It’s all good cause I love Jonah,’” the actor said on “The Zane Lowe Show.”
Hill noted that the moment sat with him in a good way, and as a result, he still has love for West. The filmmaker expressed hope that the rapper would “heal” as well as those he might have offended with his divisive words.
Hill still has great respect for West’s artistry, calling him “the greatest artist ever to live.” However, he understands how his antisemitic remarks couldn’t be easily overlooked. In his words:
“He’s a genius, and the stuff with the hate stuff sucks. What are you going to say? It sucks, no matter who you are, to hear that.”
Nevertheless, the “Superbad” actor vowed not to kick the “Runway” rapper while he is down.
What Kanye West Said About Jonah Hill’s Film
The actor’s interview comes three years after West sparked a storm after crediting Hill for making him fond of Jewish people again.
In an Instagram post, the rapper shared a poster of the 2012 comedy movie, “21 Jump Street,” featuring Hill and his co-star Channing Tatum.
“Watching Jonah Hill in 21 Jump Street made me like Jewish people again. No one should take anger against one or two individuals and transform that into hatred towards millions of innocent people,” West wrote at the time, per The Blast.
Months before the confession, the Yeezy founder went on a wild anti-Semitic tirade on social media, saying he was “going death con 3 on Jewish people.” He also declared that he wasn’t an antisemite “because Black people are actually Jews.”
The Rapper Issued A Formal Apology For Offensive Remarks
Despite saying he loved the Jewish community, the “Donda” artist continued with his derogatory comments. However, West took it all back, offering a formal apology in January 2026.
Taking out an entire page in the Wall Street Journal, the father of four sought forgiveness for his words, blaming his bipolar diagnosis for his problematic antics.
“I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst,” he wrote, as reported by The Blast.
West sought forgiveness for moving towards “the most destructive symbol,” the swastika, during his manic episodes, which lasted as long as four months.
Taking accountability for his actions, the 48-year-old declared he was “deeply mortified” and promised to pursue “accountability, treatment, and meaningful change.”
Kanye West Makes Performance Comeback In Los Angeles
Months after his formal apology, Kanye West made a powerful return to the stage last week at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
According to The Blast, the rapper performed in front of a near-capacity crowd, who cheered for his comeback, not minding his controversial past.
Many expressed a willingness to separate the artist from the art, citing West’s battle with bipolar disorder as a reason why they might be so forgiving.
West gave his fans a swell time at his concert, turning the stage into a rotating Earth design, which he stood on top of. He also invited his daughter, North West, and Don Toliver as special guests who blew the audience away.
Jonah Hill And Channing Tatum Might Reunite For ‘23 Jump Street’
While the 2012 comedy movie might have helped with West’s antisemitism, it has been so much more for fans worldwide, who have demanded a third sequel from the franchise.
Luckily, in 2014, Sony Pictures announced the development of a third movie, hiring Rodney Rothman, who worked on “22 Jump Street”, to write the script. Unfortunately, it seems the project has been on hiatus ever since.
According to actor Channing Tatum, a script has already been written, but the movie can’t be made yet due to “a lot of bureaucracy, kind of above-the-line stuff.”
Nevertheless, Tatum is still holding out hope for the possibility of a “23 Jump Street” with his co-star.
“I would love to do it with Jonah, and Jonah, I know, wants to do it. We would love to just get to go play again,” he added, per The Blast.