By Khaled Tayeh
Turn the lights on, roll out the red carpet, sit back and relax — it's one of the most anticipated nights in Hollywood: the 77th Emmy Awards.
The 2025 ceremony, as always, welcomed film and TV stars in all their glamorous glory. But this year, the spotlight wasn’t only on the fashion or the trophies. Some celebrities used their moment on the global stage to make bold, heartfelt statements about Palestine, calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis unfolding far from the flashing cameras and wide audiences.
Actress Hannah Einbinder, best known for her role in Hacks, made a powerful statement both visually and verbally. Wearing a red Artists4Ceasefire pin, she used her time on stage after winning Best Supporting Actress to speak up for Palestine. As she concluded her acceptance speech, she said just before the outro music began to play.:
“Go birds, fuck ICE, and free Palestine,” just before the outro music began to play.
But her message didn’t end there. Backstage, standing beside co-star Jean Smart and holding her Emmy, Einbinder told the press that she had friends in Gaza, adding:
“I have friends in Gaza who are working as frontline workers, as doctors, right now in the north of Gaza, to provide care for pregnant women, and [working] for schoolchildren to create schools in the refugee camps.
It’s an issue that’s really close to my heart for many reasons. I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel, because our religion and our culture is such an important and longstanding … institution that is really separate from the ethno-nationalist state.”
This wasn’t the first time Einbinder had spoken out against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Just last week, she joined thousands of filmmakers and industry professionals in signing the Film Workers for Palestine pledge — a public vow to refuse collaboration with Israeli state-backed film institutions. The pledge is part of a growing movement within the entertainment industry demanding accountability and solidarity with Palestinian civilians amid the ongoing war, which many human rights organizations have described as a humanitarian catastrophe and ultimately and increasingly, as a genocide.
“Boycotting is an effective tool to create pressure on the powers that be to meet the moment. The Film Workers for Palestine boycott does not boycott individuals; it only boycotts institutions that are directly complicit in the genocide … I think it’s an important measure, so I was happy to be a part of it,” Einbinder continued.
Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who was nominated this year for his performance in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, made headlines before the ceremony even began. Wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh on the red carpet, Bardem told reporters:
“I cannot work with someone who justifies or supports the genocide.”
Speaking to journalists, the 56-year-old actor went further:
“I will never work with some companies now [who] are not condemning the genocide in Gaza.
Me not getting jobs is absolutely irrelevant compared to what is going on there.”
Bardem’s statements were widely reported and drew significant attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He remains one of the most vocal figures among celebrities using their platforms to speak out.
He wasn’t alone. Megan Stalter, Einbinder co-star in Hacks, also made a quiet but powerful statement. She walked the red carpet with the word “ceasefire!” written on her purse, and later posted on Instagram, calling for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the occupation.
Other stars joined the growing chorus of solidarity. The White Lotus actress Aimee Lou Wood and Succession’s Brian Cox were also seen wearing the distinctive red Artists4Ceasefire pin, a small but powerful symbol worn by many in the industry calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The pin represents the Artists4Ceasefire movement, a collective of artists, performers, filmmakers, and other cultural figures calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and urging political leaders to prioritize humanitarian action and peace. Artists who have worn the pin or signed the open letter include Mark Ruffalo, Jessica Chastain, Joaquin Phoenix, and many others.
The movement emphasizes nonviolence, empathy, and justice, and its growing visibility at major entertainment events reflects a broader shift in how Hollywood is engaging with political and humanitarian issues.
What once felt like a taboo in Hollywood is now echoing across red carpets and awards stages, as stars are no longer afraid to speak up about Palestine. In an industry where political statements are often carefully curated, a growing number of actors are breaking that mold and using their platforms not just to advocate for vague peace, but to explicitly name Gaza, call for a ceasefire, and condemn the humanitarian crisis taking place there.
Their words, pins, and protest symbols are not just acts of solidarity, but of defiance; challenging an industry that, for decades, largely avoided taking a public stance on Palestine.
At this year’s Emmy Awards, the glitz and glamour shared space with grief and global awareness. For a night that traditionally celebrates fiction, some stars chose to confront harsh realities, using their voices not just to thank agents and producers, but to advocate for justice, peace, and human dignity.
K.T
