Hacks star Hannah Einbinder makes statement after ‘Free Palestine’ Emmys speech

‘It’s my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish jews from the state of Israel,’ actor said

Hacks star Hannah Einbinder has said it’s her obligation as a Jewish person to “distinguish jews from the state of Israel” following her call to free Palestine in her Emmys acceptance speech.

The 30-year-old actor and comedian won her first Emmy in the Supporting Actress in a Comedy category for her role as Ava Daniels in the HBO series, and she closed her speech: “F*** ICE and free Palestine. Thank you.”

Einbinder was asked to elaborate on her statement about Palestine backstage alongside her co-star Jean Smart, who won in the Lead Actress category, and she said the issue was very dear to her heart.

“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 institution that is really separate to this sort of ethno-nationalist state,” she said.

Einbinder added that she has friends working on the frontline as doctors in the north of Gaza to care for pregnant women and school children in the refugee camps, per Deadline.

The Hacks star is a prominent pro-Palestine supporter and was among the 3,900 industry figures who recently signed an open letter saying they refused to work with Israeli institutions and film companies that are “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people”.

‘Hacks’ star Hannah Einbinder has elaborated of her call to free Palestine in her 2025 Emmy acceptance speech (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

“It's like many movements, boycotting is an effective tool to create pressure on the powers that be to meet the moment,” she said of the choice.

“So the film workers for Palestine boycott does not boycott individuals, it only boycotts institutions that are directly complicit in the genocide.

“It’s important to me, and I think it’s an important measure, and so I was happy to be a part of it.”

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Sunday night marked Einbinder’s fourth Emmy nomination and her first win.

Jean Smart as Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels in 'Hacks' (Sky)

The actor has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for each of the last four seasons of Hacks, which she confirmed would come to a close after the forthcoming fifth season.

Einbinder told E! on the Emmys red carpet that the end of the series would be bittersweet, but said “it’s nice to do something as many times as it should be done” and “not overstay your welcome”.

You can find the full list of winners at this year’s Emmy Awards here.