At the 96th Academy Awards, held on Sunday night, several celebrities used their platform to advocate for peace in Gaza by donning red pins. Among those wearing the symbolic pins were musicians Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, Poor Things star Mark Ruffalo, and comedian Ramy Youssef.
The red pins, distributed by Artists4Ceasefire, signify a collective call for an immediate ceasefire and the safe release of captives in Gaza. The design features a red glossy circle with a hand and a black heart, symbolizing compassion and solidarity.
In a press release, Artists4Ceasefire stated that the pins represent the collective support for ending the violence in Gaza and ensuring the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians. Over 380 signatories, including renowned figures like Cate Blanchett, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, and Bradley Cooper, have endorsed the initiative.
Actor and comedian Ramy Youssef emphasized the importance of the message, stating, “We are asking for justice and peace for the Palestinian people, and also, you know, a really universal message, which is let’s just stop killing the children.”
This isn’t the first appearance of the red pins. They were also spotted at the Grammys and the Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards earlier this year, where Mark Ruffalo voiced his support for a ceasefire, stating, “We’re not going to bomb our way to peace.”
The issue of Israel’s war in Gaza also made its mark outside the Dolby Theatre, where groups like the Los Angeles branch of Jewish Voice for Peace protested, demanding a ceasefire. SAG-AFTRA Members for a Ceasefire, a group of working actors, joined in the demonstration to ensure that the ongoing violence in Gaza did not go unnoticed amid the glitz of the Oscars.
Meanwhile, during the awards ceremony, director Jonathan Glazer, accepting the Oscar for Best International Feature for his Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest,” used his platform to denounce the occupation in Gaza. He emphasized the importance of reflecting on past atrocities to confront present-day conflicts, receiving applause for his poignant remarks.
