As Hollywood finds itself in the midst of awards season — a three-month orgy of frothy self-aggrandizement and pop culture glamour — celebrities and their handlers face a serious decision: What, if anything, should they say about the Israel Awards show? Hamas war.
Movie stars are increasingly willing and even determined to use awards shows like the Golden Globes, scheduled for Sunday on CBS, to draw attention to progressive issues and causes. In recent years, honorees such as Meryl Streep, Russell Crowe and Michelle Williams have included topics such as sexual harassment, the global refugee crisis, abortion rights, Trumpism, climate change, Black Lives Matter, veganism and the Ukraine War in their acceptance speeches.
Viewers on both political sides sometimes bristle at what they see as elitist instruction. But in the ballrooms of Los Angeles, where these trophies are awarded and such speeches are made, the reaction is usually unanimous praise. The A-listers dressed in couture jump up and give an ovation.
The war between Israel and Hamas is much more complicated.
“It's such a treacherous subject — there's no reaction, especially in the red carpet crowd or in a breakneck acceptance speech that wouldn't offend anyone,” said Martin Kaplan, who directs the Norman Lear Center for Entertainment, Media and Society at the University of Southern California. “Add alcohol, as is often the case at these awards dinners, and what could go wrong?”
Susan Sarandon, center, at a protest in New York City in November. The United Talent Agency dropped her after she made public statements about the war in Gaza. Source: Stephanie Keith for The New York Times
The reaction to the conflict has shaken Hollywood, where there is a large Jewish presence, and many other parts of America. On the one hand, there is fervent support for Israel. On the other side are those who see the Palestinian cause as an extension of the racial and social justice movements that swept the United States in the summer of 2020.
Stars were fired from films. Agencies have laid off clients; Customers have abandoned agents. Friendships were broken and people accused each other of hypocrisy and betrayal.
Ahead of the Golden Globes, which kicks off awards season in earnest, some publicists and agents have advised celebrity clients not to say anything about the war between Israel and Hamas. One carelessly chosen word could ruin her Oscar hopes and perhaps even her career. A longtime Hollywood publicist who has clients in this year's Oscar race summed up her advice on the subject with “Run for the Hills.” A few high-profile clients, she added, are walking red carpets but skipping interviews. Too risky.
Others fear that silence itself is a political message. After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, most Hollywood unions rushed to condemn the violence. But a leading union, the Writers Guild of America, refused to issue a statement and stood by its decision despite enormous backlash from hundreds of its members.
Jeffrey Wright, an awards nominee for his role in “American Fiction,” has spoken out about the conflict on social media. Credit…Chris Pizzello/Invision, via Associated Press
Some leading Hollywood communications firms, including Rogers & Cowan PMK and ID PR, have offered yellow ribbons to wear in support of the hostages in Gaza. They consider the effort, led in part by Ashlee Margolis, who runs an entertainment and fashion marketing company called A-List, to be apolitical, although some may disagree.
“Wearing a symbolic yellow ribbon in support of the 136 women, children and men – both Israelis and Americans – who were brutally kidnapped by terrorists and remain captive is not only extremely humane and certainly uncontroversial, but also camera-worthy,” said Melissa Zukerman, managing partner of Principal Communications Group, said in an email.
The post-Golden Globes ceremonial parade includes the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards and the British Academy Film Awards before culminating with the Oscars on March 10. This year, the Emmy Awards and Governors Awards, which were postponed due to the strike, were also pushed into the background.
At most of these galas, the red carpets are lined with reporters. Stars should expect to be asked about the Israel-Hamas war, said Marc Malkin, senior editor at Variety and co-host of Sunday's official Golden Globes preshow. “If they posted about it on Instagram or signed an open letter, it’s not a problem,” he said.
In response to the Hamas attack, Natalie Portman released a statement on Instagram that read, in part: “My heart is broken for the people of Israel.” Photo credit: Emmanuel Dunand/Agence France-Presse – Getty Images
They appear to include Israeli-born actress Natalie Portman, a nominee for “May December,” who took to social media to express her disappointment over the Hamas attack, and Jeffrey Wright, a nominee for his acting in “American Fiction.” who has questioned the wisdom of Israel's retaliation. Bradley Cooper, a multiple nominee for “Maestro,” signed two public letters, one about the hostages urging “to continue the fight for their freedom” and the other calling for “immediate de-escalation and a ceasefire demanded.
Spokespeople for these nominees declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.
The upcoming self-congratulation-a-thon could certainly go off without a hitch and celebrities would speak knowledgeably about the complex and controversial topic. But the odds aren't in Hollywood's favor. The movie business has a long, if not proud, history of tone-deaf behavior.
There was the time in 2008 when Sharon Stone, walking a red carpet, caused a media frenzy when she said an earthquake in China that left 88,000 people dead or missing may have been karmic revenge for the handling of the country with Tibet. In 2022, jaws dropped in living rooms across America when, shortly after Will Smith attacked Chris Rock on the Oscars stage, patrons in the theater gave Mr. Smith a standing ovation following his tearful acceptance speech for best actor.
Awards ceremonies used to feature a fiery speech here, political praise there – be it Marlon Brando's dispatch of a Native American activist to reject his Best Actor Oscar in 1973, or Vanessa Redgrave's denunciation of “Zionist gangsters” in 1978. For the In most cases, however, the stars tried to be stars by using their charm and not saying anything that might upset a single ticket buyer.
Sacheen Littlefeather turned down the Oscar in 1973 on behalf of Marlon Brando. Credit…Bettman Archives, via Getty Images
That has changed, and the Golden Globes paved the way.
In 2017, Ms. Streep stormed off President-elect Donald J. Trump from the Globes stage. The next year, the Globes became a de facto rally for the Time's Up movement, with actresses wearing black to protest sexual harassment and Oprah Winfrey giving a fiery speech. In 2020, Ms Williams made a passionate plea for abortion rights, while Mr Crowe drew attention to climate change and a bushfire crisis in Australia.
Last year, the Globes gave airtime to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who gave a speech about his country's war with Russia.
Globes officials did not respond to questions about whether this year's show would veer into politics.
Producers who specialize in awards shows say research compiled primarily by Nielsen suggests that most viewers don't like it when celebrities turn an onstage appearance into a political bully pulpit. A current Oscars producer said minute-by-minute ratings analysis showed that “large numbers” of people turned off the television when celebrities started speaking out about politics. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential metrics.
Comedian Ricky Gervais, who hosted the Globes in 2020, used part of his monologue to tell Hollywood that it is testing the public's tolerance for mixing serious concerns with awards bacchanalia.
“You are in no position to lecture the public about anything – you know nothing about the real world,” Mr Gervais said, adding: “If you win, come along, accept your little award, thank your agents and your God.” and leave the stage.