Red carpets have long been more than just a stopping point for stars dressed in flashy outfits and forced collegiate smiles, but have also become a political protest platform that celebrities use to express their opinions.
At the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards held Monday night in Los Angeles, the reference to the fighting between Israel and Hamas did not go unnoticed by viewers at home and the media cameras, although it was relatively marginal and was not reflected in speeches or interviews on the red carpet.
Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium wins the award for Outstanding Live Variety Special at the 75th #Emmys pic.twitter.com/pEqk2DE12O
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 16, 2024
Jewish director and producer Ben Winston (whose 12th win is the prestigious statuette and whose professional credits include the reunion episode of Friends, the reality show "The Kardashians" and James Corden's talk show) took the stage to receive the statuette for Elton John's filmed show that aired on Disney+, of which he is one of the producers, wearing the yellow pin of the abductees on his tuxedo. Next to him on stage in the crew was producer Gabe Turner, also wearing the pin on the lapel of his suit.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Mourn the dead and fight like hell for the living.
The dove is from Bethlehem, the scales of justice for everywhere & the #ICJ.
Because all live are sacred.#MLKDay2024 #Emmys2024 #Oct7Day100... pic.twitter.com/yTMQJLtI28
— Khalid Abdalla (@khalidabdalla) January 16, 2024
On the other hand, support for the Palestinian side was documented on the red carpet, when British Egyptian "crown" actor Khalid Abdallah wore a dove pin from Bethlehem on the lapel of his suit, along with another pin patterned with scales of justice (which also flutters to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where the trial against Israel is being held on charges of alleged genocide). On the palm of his left hand, he scribbled in black the inscription "Never Again", with the inscription clearly referring to the Israeli army's fighting in Gaza and the situation in Gaza.
This is not the first time Abdullah has turned his palm into a protest platform. Last November, Abdullah, who plays Dodi Al Fayed, the last spouse of the late British Princess Diana, scribbled the sixth season premiere of the series on the palm of his hand the caption "Ceasefire Now," which he proudly displayed in front of the red carpet cameras as a demand for a ceasefire by Israel in the fighting in Gaza.
Abdullah in "The Crown", photo: PR
Abdullah also expressed support for the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London and filmed a series of videos supporting South Africa's lawsuit against Israel at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. During the ceremony, he also found the time to tweet on his X account, quoting Martin Luther King: "Our lives begin to end the day we start to be silent about what matters. Mourn for the dead and fight tirelessly for the living," he added, explaining the meaning of the two pins he wore and concluding with the declaration: "All life is holy" – of course, without even mentioning the events of October 7 and the horrific massacre perpetrated by the Hamas terrorist organization that led to the outbreak of the war in the first place. Is the life of Jews and Israelis not sacred to him? There is no way of knowing, since it does not seem that it is his top priority to speak out on the subject.
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