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What did Hannah Einbinder say at the Emmys 2025? Why Hacks star's Best Supporting Actress acceptance speech got bleeped

At the Emmys 2025, Hacks star Hannah Einbinder won Best Supporting Actress but her speech was bleeped. Here’s what she really said and why it sparked debate
  • LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart, winners of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for "Hacks," pose in the press room during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Hannah Einbinder and Jean Smart, winners of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for "Hacks," pose in the press room during the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

    On September 14, 2025, the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles glittered under the spotlight of the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, where Hacks star Hannah Einbinder claimed her first-ever Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. 

    In her acceptance speech, the 30-year-old comedian combined humour with gratitude, until abruptly interrupted by a bleep when she closed with -

    ” Go Birds, fu*k ICE, and free Palestine.”

    CBS have bleeped the profanity directed at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but the uncensored call for Palestinian rights had a different life online and around the rest of the world.

    The ceremony was already filled with energy, and in Einbinder's moment, both personal and political, she stole the show away from Bargatze with her bold statement.


    Hannah Einbinder's Emmy moment of 2025

    Einbinder took the stage with her trademark wit, reflecting on her three prior Emmy losses with a self-deprecating jab and said,

    “I was really committed to the personal narrative that it was actually cooler to continue to lose. But this is cool too. This is also punk rock.”

    The audience roared with laughter at her sincerity. She expressed her gratitude to Hacks creators Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs, and Lucia Aniello for changing her life in every way.

    She showed her gratitude towards them by saying-

    “not just by giving me a great gig, but by being my friends and family.”

    Her tribute to co-star Jean Smart was also equally heartfelt-. She said-

    “She’s like a sun, and I just get to stand in her warmth.”

    As Bargatze’s 45-second time limit—tied to a playful charity rule donating to the Boys & Girls Club—loomed, Einbinder quipped she’d “pay the difference” for going over.

    She closed with a flourish: “Go Birds, fu*k ICE, and free Palestine.” The “Go Birds” was a nod to her Philadelphia Eagles fandom, but the bleeped expletive and her call for Palestinian rights turned heads, making the speech a defining moment of the night.


    Behind the bleep: A bold stand in the spotlight

    The bleep targeted “fu*k ICE,” a critique of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, muted to comply with broadcast standards.

    However, Einbinder’s uncensored “free Palestine” drew significant attention. Einbinder has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights, recently joining over 3,900 industry professionals in signing an open letter pledging not to work with Israeli film institutions linked to oppressive policies.

    On the Emmys red carpet, she wore an Artists4Ceasefire pin, aligning with stars like Javier Bardem in calling for a Gaza ceasefire. Backstage, she told Deadline,

    “Palestine is dear to my heart. I have friends in Gaza who are working as doctors, frontline workers right now—"

    The speech’s fallout was immediate. Her courage drew praise from fans on X, but some others weighed the importance of political commentary at awards shows with the challenge of balancing one's right to free speech while being cognizant of broadcasting standards.

    From start to finish, the way Einbinder managed to express all of that humour, thankfulness, and advocacy interests in an acceptance speech that was less than a minute long was impressive.


    Where to watch Hacks

    Fans can watch all four seasons of Hacks on HBO Max and bask in the glory of Hannah Einbinder's Emmy-winning portrayal of Ava Daniels.

    Stay tuned for more such updates!

    TOPICS: Hannah Einbinder, Creative Arts Emmys 2025