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By Megan Cartwright
Associate News Editor
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Hacks star Hannah Einbinder delivered a politically charged acceptance speech at the Emmys on Sunday, where she took aim at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and called to "Free Palestine" following her win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Newsweek reached out to Einbinder's representative for comment on Monday via email outside regular working hours.
Why It Matters
Acceptance speeches at high-profile awards shows reach large, diverse audiences and can amplify political messages. Einbinder's remarks intersected with ongoing debates about U.S. immigration enforcement and the international response to the Israel-Hamas conflict—topics that have driven organized activism among filmmakers and performers.
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What To Know
Einbinder, 30, accepted her first Emmy at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards held on Sunday at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
"Go Birds, f*** ICE and Free Palestine," she said during the live ceremony. Birds refers to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Her closing line was audible in the room and in unedited online footage, though the broadcast censored the profanity.
At the time of publication, a video of her speech posted to The Hollywood Reporter's X account racked up 1.6 million views, 31,000 likes and 923 comments.
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The show's host, Nate Bargatze, had a timed-donation gag tied to a 45-second speech limit that would reduce a planned donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America if winners went over time. After exceeding the limit, Einbinder said on stage: "I'll pay the difference."
Einbinder and other celebrities, including fellow Hacks actress Megan Stalter and F1: The Movie star Javier Bardem, wore Artists4Ceasefire pins to the event.
What People Are Saying
In the press room after the awards show, Einbinder elaborated on her acceptance speech remarks: "I thought it was important to talk about Palestine because it's an issue that's very dear to my heart. I have friends in Gaza who are working as frontline workers, as doctors right now in the north of Gaza to provide care for pregnant women and for school children to create schools in the refugee camps... I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the state of Israel because our religion and our culture is such an important and long-standing, basically, institution that is really separate to this sort of ethnonationalist state."
In a separate message posted to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, Einbinder said: "My angels at @pal.humanity are in the north. They hear massive bombings coming closer to them and their clinic and the camp of tents directly outside. their best friend and a fellow doctor at the clinic Yara was killed with 30 of her family members under rubble this week. they need to move everything and everyone south so they can continue to see their pregnant patients. they just want to live. they are angels on earth dedicating their lives to service while they too go through a genocide. i know my page will get more views today- i hope new people here will consider contributing."
Bardem told USA Today on the Emmys red carpet: "How many hundreds of thousands of dead children need to suffer for people to wake up?"
On social media, Einbinder's remarks sparked a debate.
Hen Mazzig, author of The Wrong Kind of Jew: A Mizrahi Manifesto, said on X: "Millionaire celebs love shouting empty slogans on stage like it's open mic night. 'Free Palestine' is not a punchline. Hannah, you had 30 seconds to inspire millions- you could have called for peace, condemned terror, call for the release of the hostages, oppose the sexual atrocities and rape committed by Hamas, and shown empathy for all victims. Instead, you went for applause lines and left Israelis and Palestinians exactly where they were: bleeding. But you sure look chic in this expensive dress!"
X user @echanti said in a message with more than 1,750 views and 40 likes: "I loved #Hacks, but I'm canceling my @HBO @hbomax subscription immediately after @HannahEinbinder reckless remarks. Disappointing to see talent overshadowed by carelessness. Her castmates should be disappointed to see the politicization of their show."
Others, meanwhile, defended Einbinder's remarks.
@EternalXshine wrote in a note with 25,700 views and 1,100 likes: "She's in the right side of history such a queen."
X user @Swiftor shared in a comment with 20,900 views and 384 likes: "F*** yeah, way to go Hannah."
What Happens Next
President Donald Trump spoke out about ending the Israel-Hamas war last week.
"Everyone wants the Hostages HOME," he wrote on Truth Social on September 7. "Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"
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