Hollywood Stands with Palestine: Bardem and Stars Make a Political Statement at the Emmys

RED CARPET REVELATIONS: HOLLYWOOD STARS WEIGH IN ON ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT

Last night, at the 77th Emmy Awards, the usually glamorous red carpet was transformed into a platform for activism and advocacy as Hollywood stars made their voices heard on one of the most pressing issues of our time: the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Javier Bardem, the dashing Spanish actor known for his roles in No Country for Old Men and Skyfall, was among those who used the opportunity to speak out against what he called "the genocide in Gaza." Speaking to Variety after the event, Bardem, 56, made it clear that he is firmly on the side of the Palestinian people.

"I'm talking about the IAGS, which is the International Association of Genocide Scholars, who have thoroughly studied this and declared [the current Israel-Palestine conflict] a genocide," he said, his voice laced with emotion. "That's why we ask for a commercial and diplomatic blockade, and also sanctions on Israel to stop the genocide - free Palestine!"

Bardem was not alone in his stance; many of his fellow celebrities, including Hacks star Hannah Einbinder, echoed his sentiments. After taking home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Einbinder ended her speech with a powerful message: "Free Palestine!"

The red carpet itself became a hotspot for activism as Bardem explained the efforts he and other industry professionals are undertaking to raise awareness about the conflict.

"We are getting together Film Workers for Palestine," he said. "It's a great union [and] group that is getting more and more people attached. We don't target individuals by their identity - that's absolutely wrong. What we target are those complicit film companies and institutions that are involved in whitewashing or justifying the genocide of Israel in Gaza and its apartheid regime."

But not all stars were as vocal about their opinions on the conflict. The ceremony itself was filled with the usual glamour and glitz, but beneath the surface, tensions ran high.

Take, for example, the controversy surrounding The White Lotus star Walton Goggins and his co-star Aimee Lou Wood. After it was revealed that Goggins had unfollowed Wood on Instagram despite gushing about her just weeks prior, fans began to speculate about the nature of their relationship. When approached by Variety for comment, Goggins explained that he simply follows a standard practice: cutting off communications with his costars after finishing a project.

But not everyone was as understanding. Speaking to The Scholarly Note.com last week, comedian Nate Bargatze, 46, joked about the scrutiny surrounding celebrities' personal lives. "This is the first I'm thinking about it, was this week," he deadpanned, clearly flustered by the attention.

Bargatze, known for his clean and lighthearted comedy style, will be taking on a new challenge tonight as he hosts the Emmy Awards ceremony live from Los Angeles. When asked about his approach to hosting the event, he revealed that he planned to avoid mean-spirited jokes in favor of more uplifting content.

"I was like trying to think of like how, which way you want to go and it's like . . . even we've had stuff written that I think was a little more roast stuff and then it's like after you think about it a couple of days, I'm like, 'Nah, let's go back another way,'" he said. "We have some fun stuff though that's planned."

As for the ceremony itself, fans will be eagerly awaiting the announcements in several key categories. Apple TV+'s Severance leads the pack with an impressive 27 nominations, including Best Drama Series and most of the drama acting categories.

Rounding out the competition are The Last of Us, Disney+'s Andor, and HBO's Hacks. The latter series has earned numerous accolades for its standout performances, including Jean Smart's three-time win for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy.

In other notable nods, Harrison Ford will be making his Emmy debut as part of Apple TV+'s dramedy Shrinking, while Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard have received their first-ever acting Emmy nominations for guest appearances on Seth Rogen's Hollywood satire The Studio.