When Hannah Einbinder finally took the stage at the 2025 Emmy Awards after years of nominations, she didn’t just deliver a typical thank-you speech. Instead, the Hacks star used her moment to make a bold, unapologetic statement that got everyone talking. After joking about her past losses and thanking the people who helped her get here, she closed with a powerful trio of messages: “Go Birds, f**k ICE, and free Palestine.” The crowd erupted, and social media immediately lit up.
But that wasn’t all. Throughout the night, Einbinder and others like Javier Bardem used their platform to highlight causes they believe in, from immigrant rights to Palestinian liberation. It was a ceremony where politics and art collided, and Hannah’s speech became one of the most discussed moments of the night. Here’s a breakdown of what she said, why she said it, and what it means.
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The Speech Everyone’s Talking About
Hannah Einbinder began her acceptance speech for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series with humor and gratitude. She joked that she had long believed it was “cooler to continue to lose” but admitted that winning felt “punk rock too.” She thanked Hacks creators Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, and Lucia Aniello for changing her life and showered praise on her co-star Jean Smart, whom she compared to the sun: “I just get to stand in her warmth.”
Then came the moment that defined her speech. Defying the 45-second time limit set by host Nate Bargatze—who jokingly fined winners for overlong speeches to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs—Einbinder declared, “I’ll pay the difference.” She ended with her now-famous lines: “Go Birds, f**k ICE, and free Palestine.” The “Go Birds” part was a shout-out to her family’s love for the Philadelphia Eagles, but the other two phrases carried deeper political weight. The anti-ICE remark was bleeped out on broadcast, but “Free Palestine” rang clear.
“Go Birds, F*** ICE and Free Palestine”
– Hannah Einbinder during her #EMMYs speech
pic.twitter.com/k8H6LdKnL6— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 15, 2025
Backstage, Einbinder didn’t hold back in explaining her statements. She emphasized her commitment to Palestinian rights, citing friends working as doctors in Gaza and describing the situation as “close to my heart.” As a Jewish person, she felt it was her duty to “distinguish Jews from the state of Israel,” arguing that Judaism as a faith and culture is separate from what she called an “ethno-nationalist state.” She also defended boycotts as a tool for pressuring institutions complicit in violence, aligning herself with the Film Workers for Palestine pledge she signed earlier that week.
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Why It Matters—And Who Else Spoke Out
Hannah Einbinder wasn’t alone in using the Emmys to advocate for political change. Javier Bardem wore a keffiyeh on the red carpet and denounced the genocide in Gaza, telling reporters, “Me not getting jobs is absolutely irrelevant compared to what is going on there.” Other celebrities, including Aimee Lou Wood, Natasha Rothwell, and Megan Stalter, showed solidarity with Palestine through fashion and accessories. Stalter carried a purse with “Ceasefire!” handwritten on it, while many others wore Artists4Ceasefire pins calling for an end to the violence.
The significance of these actions stretches beyond the ceremony. Earlier in the week, nearly 4,000 industry professionals, including Einbinder, Bardem, Emma Stone, and Olivia Colman, signed the Film Workers for Palestine pledge, vowing not to work with Israeli institutions they see as complicit in oppression. Paramount, CBS’s parent company, publicly rejected the boycott, but the message from artists was clear: they believe in using their influence for justice.
Hannah Einbinder on saying “Free Palestine” in her Emmys acceptance speech.
“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 really separate to this sort… pic.twitter.com/FNVTji7VC3
— Variety (@Variety) September 15, 2025
Hannah Einbinder’s speech, and the reactions it sparked, reflect a broader trend in Hollywood where celebrities are increasingly willing to take political stands, even when it’s controversial. From the Artists4Ceasefire movement to vocal opposition to ICE, the entertainment industry is becoming a platform for activism. And as Einbinder proved, sometimes the most powerful statements are made in just a few seconds, even if they cost you $10,000 in donations.
