Einbinder’s remarks followed a week of debate in Hollywood over a pledge signed by nearly 4,000 industry figures, including herself, promising not to work with Israeli film companies or institutions they consider complicit in “genocide and apartheid”
Hannah Einbinder has officially broken her Emmy losing streak, and she did it with impact far beyond television. On Sunday night, the Hacks star clinched her first Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series after being nominated in three prior years without a win. But while the award marked a personal triumph, it was her unapologetic acceptance speech that commanded the night’s spotlight.
Acknowledging her losses in past years, Einbinder joked about her commitment to an “identity as a loser,” before pivoting to gratitude for her collaborators and co-star Jean Smart, whom she likened to the sun. Mid-speech, she even pledged to cover the cost of Nate Bargatze’s charity tally, which penalized winners for going over the time limit, cementing the quirky self-awareness fans have come to expect from her.
But it was her closing words that sparked the ceremony’s first overtly political moment: a shout-out to the Philadelphia Eagles followed by a sharp rebuke of ICE and a call to “free Palestine.” Though the profanity was muted, her message still aired—sending ripples through an industry already divided by the recent Film Workers for Palestine boycott pledge signed by nearly 4,000 creatives, including Einbinder.
Later in the press room, Hannah Einbinder expanded on her remarks, framing them as not just political but deeply personal. As a Jewish performer with friends working on the ground in Gaza, she underscored her belief in separating Jewish identity from the state of Israel—and in boycotts as nonviolent leverage against institutions complicit in “genocide and apartheid.” Paramount, owner of CBS, which aired the Emmys, had recently condemned the boycott, calling it a form of silencing, underscoring how fraught the industry divide has become.
Her comments only heightened the resonance of her win, elevating it into a cultural flashpoint: an actress using her biggest career platform yet to exercise the very punk ethos she claimed in her speech.
Offscreen, Hannah Einbinder’s career momentum is undeniable. She’s recently headlined her first stand-up special, picked up a Critics Choice Award, earned multiple Golden Globe nods, and is set to star in Jane Schoenbrun’s upcoming Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma alongside Gillian Anderson. In Hacks Season 4, her character Ava Daniels secures the ultimate gig as head writer for Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance—mirroring Einbinder’s own ascent into television’s comedic elite.
In a single night, Hannah Einbinder didn’t just win an Emmy—Hannah Einbinder reminded Hollywood what it looks like when an artist takes their stage and refuses to play it safe.
About Hannah Einbinder
Hannah Einbinder is an American actress and stand-up comedian. Hannah Einbinder is widely recognized for her role as Ava Daniels in the HBO Max comedy series Hacks. The performance has earned her significant acclaim, including the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, four Primetime Emmy Award nominations — with a win in 2025 — and three Golden Globe nominations.
Hannah Einbinder was born in Los Angeles to a family deeply connected to the entertainment industry. Her mother, Laraine Newman, was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, while her father, Chad Einbinder, is a writer and director. Raised in a Jewish household, she grew up in Los Angeles, where she later pursued her education.
Einbinder began her speech with a lighthearted reflection on her previous Emmy nominations that did not result in wins. “I was just really committed to the personal narrative that I had that it was actually cooler to continue to lose,” she joked. “But this is cool too! This is also punk rock.”
She went on to thank the show’s creators, Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello. “For changing my life in every conceivable way, but not just by giving me a great gig, but by being my friends and being my family,” she said.
What did Hannah Einbinder say at the Emmys?
Einbinder opened her speech with humor, poking fun at her previous Emmy losses.
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“I was just really committed to the personal narrative that I had that it was actually cooler to continue to lose,” she said. “But this is cool too! This is also punk rock.”
She also thanked creators Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello “for changing my life in every conceivable way, but not just by giving me a great gig, but by being my friends and being my family.”
Einbinder then praised her co-star Jean Smart, calling her “like a sun,” and adding, “I just get to stand in her warmth.”
She went on to give a shout-out for her NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, before making a bold political statement that was bleeped out on the live broadcast.
“Go Birds, f— ICE, and free Palestine,” Einbinder said.
Einbinder was also among several celebrities wearing a red Artists4Ceasefire pin, a symbol calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Pro-Palestine advocacy
For those unversed, Einbinder is a well-known supporter of Palestinian rights. She was one of over 3,900 artists and industry professionals who recently signed an open letter pledging not to work with Israeli institutions or film companies “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”
“As filmmakers, actors, film industry workers, and institutions, we recognize the power of cinema to shape perceptions,” the letter states. “In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can to address complicity in that unrelenting horror.”
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