In a relatively apolitical evening at the Emmys, veteran actress Sally Field took an apparent jab at President Donald Trump, referencing the strained relationship between the United States and Canada.
Field, who accepted an award for her role in “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” used her acceptance speech to acknowledge cinematographer Ashley Connor and then pivoted to address the relationship with Canada. "Blessed Canada — our neighbors, our friends*," she stated to applause.
While Field did not name Trump directly, her remarks alluded to his administration's policies that have antagonized Canada. The president has engaged in trade disputes with the neighboring country and has previously threatened to annex Canada. Earlier in his term, Trump renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America via executive order, a move that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly countered by affirming the lake's name as Lake Ontario "then, now and always."
Field also appeared to touch on the ongoing merger discussions between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. The $110 billion deal has faced delays due to a lawsuit filed by 12 states concerned about potential anti-competition impacts. "I have been so grateful and so proud to be a part of this community, the arts, for 62 years or something," Field said. "With art, we matter. Our voices matter. Our diversity, our unique storytelling matters. We can’t let those voices be silenced or compromised or merged."