Javier Bardem dons keffiyeh at 2025 Emmys to support Gaza, calls for 'Free Palestine', sanctions on Israel on red carpet

Javier Bardem showed solidarity with Gaza as he appeared at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday wearing a keffiyeh.

Published on: Sep 15, 2025, 08:04:29 IST

By Abhimanyu Mathur

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Actor Javier Bardem made a strong political statement at the 2025 Emmy Awards, as he wore a keffiyeh in a mark of solidarity for the people of Gaza and the state of Palestine, which has been embroiled in a war with Israel for over a year. The actor gave a passionate speech on the red carpet, urging the world to back Gaza and 'stop the genocide' there.

Javier Bardem wears a keffiyeh as he poses on the red carpet at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 14, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole (REUTERS)

Javier Bardem at the 2025 Emmys

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles this Sunday. Bardem, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, appeared on the red carpet wearing a keffiyeh with his tuxedo, and even raised a fist to show support for Palestine. The keffiyeh scarf is worn by men in the Middle East, and over the last few years, has come to be seen as a symbol of support for Palestine in its conflict against Israel.

Bardem calls for Free Palestine

On the sidelines, he spoke to Variety and explained his choice. " Here I am today denouncing the genocide in Gaza. I am talking about the IAGS, which is the International Association of Genocide Scholars, that thoroughly studies genocide and has declared it to be a genocide. That's why they asked for a commercial diplomatic blockade and sanctions on Israel to stop the genocide," the actor said.

He ended his speech with a call to "Free Palestine!"

How the 2025 Emmys opened

Stephen Colbert was the first person to take the stage to present the award during the CBS telecast at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles despite the recent controversial cancellation of his show by the network. He was greeted by a rousing and lengthy standing ovation. “While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?” Colbert said.

In an unusual show order, host Nate Bargatze delivered his opening monologue only after the first award was handed out.

The show opened with a sketch where Saturday Night Live stars Mikey Day, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson joined Bargatze, who played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth opining on what the future of TV will be like.

(With inputs from AP)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abhimanyu Mathur
Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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