Some of the TV industry’s biggest stars used their platform at the Emmy Awards to highlight Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza and demanded Palestine be free from occupation, annexation and assaults.
Celebrities at the awards night, one of the most anticipated of the year for those in the industry, used various points throughout the evening to shed light on the over 64,000 Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza.
This ranged from speeches on the main stage, interviews on the red carpet and through fashion statements.
Donning a keffiyeh, actor Javier Bardem told reporters that he would be selective with companies he works with moving forward.
"I cannot work with somebody who justifies or supports the genocide. I can't. It's as simple as that, and we shouldn't be able to do that. In this industry, and in any other industry," he said.
One of the stand-out moments from the evening was when Hannah Einbinder, who won best supporting actress in a comedy she starred in, ended her speech by swearing at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and saying, "free Palestine!".
Einbinder later told Variety that "it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel. Our religion and our culture is such an important and long-standing institution that is separate to this sort of ethnonationalist state".
Actor Megan Stalter, who also featured in the comedy ‘Hacks’ alongside Einbinder, wore a handbag with a large label reading "ceasefire!" on it.
Later, she said in an interview: "It’s the most important to stick up for people and for peace…we have to use our platforms. What’s the point at being at these big events if you’re not going to use your privilege?".
Several celebrities were also seen wearing a red Artists4Ceasefire pin at the Los Angeles ceremony, including Natasha Rothwell, Aimee Lou Wood, Lucia Aniello, Chris Perfetti, and Ruth Negga.
The show of solidarity for Gaza at the ceremony came after over 3,900 actors and directors signed a pledge to refuse to work with Israeli film institutions. The pledge states that such institutions are "implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people".
According to Variety, the pledge was organised by Film Workers for Palestine and mentions that examples of complicity include "whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government committing them".
Israel’s war on Gaza has decimated the enclave and plunged it into a deep humanitarian crisis. Leading rights groups, including Amnesty International, have determined it to be a genocide.
Israeli forces have also killed over 200 journalists in Gaza since October 2023, garnering global condemnation.
In the occupied West Bank, over 18,000 Palestinians have been arrested since October 2023, with Palestinians and prisoner groups raising the alarm over the conditions they are kept in, torture, and lack of proper legal proceedings.