The Oscars 2024 red carpet is over, but amidst the glitz and glamour of the night, you might have spotted some red ceasefire pins as multiple celebrities call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Pro-Palestine protesters are creating traffic nightmares outside the Oscars, in an effort to bring light to their cause. The chaos resulted in dozens of guests being late to the event.
However, inside the Oscars another silent protest is taking place: Ramy Youssef, along with icons Billie Eilish, Mark Ruffalo and heaps of other stars, were seen wearing ceasefire pins on the red carpet to call attention to the carnage in Gaza.
It’s been more than five months since Israel’s military campaign began after the October 7 attack, and so far it has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, many of which have been women and children.
“We’re calling for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We’re calling for peace and lasting justice for the people of Palestine,” Youssef told Variety on the red carpet.
“It’s a universal message of, ‘Let’s stop killing kids. Let’s not be part of more war.’ No one has ever looked back at war and thought a bombing campaign was a good idea.
“To be surrounded by so many artists who are willing to lend their voices, the list is growing. A lot of people are going to be wearing these pins tonight. There’s a lot of talking heads on the news, this is a space of talking hearts. We’re trying to have this big beam to humanity.”
Nimona‘s Eugene Lee Yang, and director Ava DuVernay, were also seen wearing a ceasefire pin, as was Billie Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell.
Other big name celebrities spotted wearing the accessory include Mark Ronson, Riz Ahmed, and Mahershala Ali.
Four Daughters‘ Nadim Cheikhrouha and Kaouther Ben Hania also wore the pins, as did Misan Harriman, who is behind best live action short nominee The After.
The pins come off the back of an open-letter signed by hundreds of creatives last year, including 55 big-name artists and members of the entertainment industry, which urged US President Joe Biden to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
Honestly, I’m so glad we are seeing such open calls for the end of this violence. It’s easy for some stars to pretend everything is normal, even good, at a party like the Oscars. There’s lights, cameras, celebrities, food, awards.
But these actors are reminding us there’s no going back to normal amidst a genocide. Good on them.
