Hannah Einbinder, who won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy on Sunday, concluded her acceptance speech with a political declaration, shouting, "Go Birds, fuck ICE and free Palestine," as she left the stage.
Einbinder, a star of the HBO Max series Hacks, spent the bulk of her speech thanking the show's creators and joking about the expectation of losing before realizing she was over the televised time limit. As her remarks extended beyond the allotted time — a stretch that reportedly reduced a pledge by the show to donate to the Boys & Girls Club of America — she said, "I'll pay the difference!" and then delivered the parting political statement.
In a backstage interview after the show, Einbinder expanded on her comments, saying she felt obliged as a Jewish person to speak about Palestine and to distinguish Jewish identity from the policies of the Israeli state. She said the issue was "very dear to my heart" and noted she has friends working in Gaza.
Einbinder's remarks were not isolated at the televised event. On the Emmys red carpet, comedian Meg Stalter carried a bag emblazoned with the words "cease fire," and actor Javier Bardem wore a black-and-white keffiyeh scarf while expressing support for Palestinians before the ceremony began. In an interview with Variety, Bardem described the situation in Gaza as genocide, cited the International Association of Genocide Scholars' assessment, and called for a commercial and diplomatic blockade and sanctions on Israel, concluding with "Free Palestine."
The Emmys ceremony has in recent years arisen as a platform for political expression, with nominees and presenters occasionally using acceptance speeches or red-carpet interviews to draw attention to causes. Networks and awards shows also have increasingly experimented with time-limited speeches tied to on-air donor commitments; at Sunday’s broadcast, those limits were highlighted when the pledged contribution to the Boys & Girls Club of America decreased as speeches ran long.
Einbinder, a longtime Philadelphia Eagles fan, invoked the team with her "Go Birds" shout before departing the stage. The moment drew immediate attention on social media and in post-ceremony coverage, where commentators noted the juxtaposition of a lighthearted acceptance and a forceful political message.
Representatives for the Television Academy did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Einbinder’s onstage remarks or how the show handles political speech during live broadcasts. Einbinder’s management did not provide further comment beyond her backstage remarks.
Sunday’s Emmys highlighted a range of winners and moments but underscored how major entertainment events remain arenas for public figures to address contentious global issues. Several attendees used the night to make visible statements about Gaza and Palestine, signaling a continued intersection of celebrity visibility and political advocacy at high-profile cultural events.
