In the paid section, I go more into what’s behind Melissa Barrera’s story: the rise of parallel media ecosystems, the challenge to Hollywood’s zionist gatekeeping, and what that all of that could mean for a future media landscape.

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From Blacklisted to Producer

In November 2023, Spyglass fired Melissa Barrera after she described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” on social media.

Barrera didn’t receive any acting opportunities for months afterward. So over the past year, she has started executive producing Palestinian films.

@illeshamarieMelissa Barrera was fired from Scream 7 after speaking about Gaza, so she started executive producing Palestinian films like Traces of Home and Life Support. Is Hollywood losing its power? What do you think? Follow for more Hollywood, entertainment news, and pop culture analysis. #melissabarrera #scream #scream7 #popculture #entertainmentnews

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Executive producers essentially help a movie get made and get in front of the right audiences.

One of her first executive producing credits is Traces of Home, a documentary by filmmaker Colette Ghunim exploring her Palestinian and Mexican family history. Barrera said she felt personally connected to the project:

“It feels so close to my heart, not only because of my love for Palestine, but because I’m Mexican, and because this is the story about a Mexican Palestinian American family.”

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Barrera is also executive producing Life Support, a documentary made from the testimonies of volunteer medical workers working in Gaza after international journalists were prevented from entering.

So looking at Melissa Barrera’s career, what do you think? Can she really pull it off? How can we support her?

For paid subscribers, I use Melissa Barrera’s story to examine the rise of parallel media ecosystems and how they’re challenging Hollywood’s zionist gatekeeping.

What’s Next?

What do you think, are we really watching the entertainment industry become less centralized? Or am I huffing hopium/copium again?

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Thank You

Thank you for reading! If this resonated with you, comment, please share it with a friend, post it on social media, or recommend my newsletter to someone interested in pop culture, media criticism, and political analysis.

Illesha

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What can her guest list tell us about the social worlds of the political, corporate, and cultural elites?

In the paid section, I explore how elite networks actually operate through shared institutions, social circles, and media ecosystems.

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The Guest List

I made a few different videos about Taylor Swift’s wedding as a media event, covering everything from her guest list to the mobilization of a mythicized “Judeo-Christian American” identity.

@illeshamarieWhy are we all supposed to care about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding? What does this celebrity spectacle say about American culture and the values pop culture encourages us to celebrate? #taylorswift #traviskelce #taylorswiftwedding #entertainmentnews #popculture

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No matter which angle I looked at it, this celebrity wedding was a glimpse into U.S. elite social circles and the overlap between entertainment, business, politics, and the national security establishment.

For instance, Adam Sandler, who officiated the ceremony, and Sacha Baron Cohen, who attended, have both portrayed Israeli military or intelligence on screen.

Also in attendance was billionaire investor Josh Kushner, a member of one of America's most powerful zionist families. The Kushners have longstanding ties to Israeli leaders, and the family has financially supported organizations connected to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Steven J. Demetriou was another guest that caught people’s attention. He is the executive chair of Amentum, where he previously served as CEO. Amentum is one of the largest government contractors in the United States.

@illeshamarieTaylor Swift's wedding guest list included Hollywood stars, billionaire investors, and defense contractors. Who stood out to you on the guest list? Let me know in the comments and follow for more pop culture analysis. #taylorswift #traviskelce #adamsandler #sachabaroncohen #entertainmentnews

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Earlier this year, Amentum became the contractor operating Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas. Just months later, four detainees filed a federal lawsuit describing what they called “horrific” conditions inside the facility.

According to the complaint, detainees were subjected to abuse, unsanitary living conditions, spoiled and inadequate food, limited access to hygiene products, and other degrading conditions.

For whatever reason, Taylor and Travis invited millions of people to celebrate wealth, celebrity influence, and American cultural power. For a public spectacle of that scale, it’s necessary for the public to scrutinize the guest list.

For paid subscribers, I talk more about elite networks. Drawing on my experience in political campaigns and organizing, I look at how media spectacles like this are produced and why celebrity culture can offer a rare glimpse into the social worlds of powerful institutions.

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For as long as I can remember, American celebrities were regularly featured as ambassadors and headliners at Tel Aviv Pride. This year, though, that streak came to an end, as Israel continues its campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the region, now occupying land in Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon.

Why does Israel invest so heavily in celebrity ambassadors? And what might their disappearance tell us about Israel’s future?

In the paid section, I also explore why Western governments, corporations, and military institutions invest so heavily in the language of LGBTQ inclusion.

If you value this kind of pop culture analysis, sign up to be a paid subscriber. Paid subscriptions directly support my research and writing and help me continue building this space independently.

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Why American Celebrities Go to Israel for Pride

Tel Aviv Pride began actively recruiting American celebrities in the 2010s as part of an effort to attract tourism and cast Tel Aviv as a global LGBTQ destination. They brought in public figures like Andy Cohen, Neil Patrick Harris, Perez Hilton, and Caitlyn Jenner to be official ambassadors and guest hosts.

Earlier this month, I talked about pinkwashing and how those campaigns are designed to market Tel Aviv as a liberal, cosmopolitan, LGBTQ-friendly destination. Their goal is to connect Israel to a broader image of Western cultural values.

Celebrity endorsement is one of the most powerful forms of public persuasion. The celebrity ambassador strategy worked because celebrities are trusted messengers. And an appearance by an American celebrity gives Tel Aviv Pride international relevance and helps tell the story of Israel as the place of Pride parades and liberal values, and not as an occupying power.

So why did the celebrity pipeline suddenly disappear this year?

American celebrity participation in the zionist project seems to have dried up in 2026… For the first time since 2016, Tel Aviv Pride took place without an American celebrity ambassador.

The absence of celebrity ambassadors was attributed to safety concerns and travel advisories, all of which point to one thing. High-profile American celebrities and their management teams increasingly view Israel as a reputational and security risk.

In other words, Israel is becoming increasingly isolated. If American celebrities are disappearing from zionism, are the cultural networks that helped normalize it beginning to weaken too?

Over the last two newsletters, we’ve looked at how LGBTQ branding and celebrity ambassadors have been used to market Israel as a liberal, progressive democracy.

But that made me think… What are LGBTQ branding and celebrity ambassadors used to market here in the West? I explore that question in the paid section below.

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If We Can See Pinkwashing Abroad, Can We See It at Home? (Paid Subscribers)

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In the paid section, I also break down pinkwashing, Tel Aviv Pride branding, and why Pride Month became such a powerful vehicle for soft power in the first place.

If you value this kind of pop culture analysis, sign up to be a paid subscriber. Paid subscriptions directly support my research and writing and help me continue building this space independently.

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Cannes and the Politics of Prestige

The Cannes Film Festival is one of the entertainment industry’s most important gatekeeping institutions. It helps make careers, launch awards campaigns, and define what counts as culturally important cinema.

Because of that, Cannes is necessarily a site of political meaning-making. And Palestine has repeatedly surfaced there in recent years, through films like To a Land Unknown, Once Upon a Time in Gaza, and Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, and also through interviews, speeches, protests, and red carpet moments.

Take Javier Bardem for example.

Bardem has been one of Cannes’ most outspoken pro-Palestine celebrities for years, repeatedly criticizing Israel’s genocide in Gaza while also speaking about the industry backlash artists face for criticizing Israel.

@illeshamarieJavier Bardem says supporting Palestine hasn't hurt his career. Is Hollywood changing? #javierbardem #cannesfilmfestival #filmtok #hollywood #celebritynews

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In an interview with AFP during this year’s festival, Bardem said he believed “the narrative” around Palestine was actually beginning to shift. He also noted that, not only was he not blacklisted for his Palestine support, but he was “getting more work than ever.”

For years, speaking out about Palestine in the American entertainment industry was professionally dangerous. Bardem, however, has continued working steadily across both Hollywood and European cinema while maintaining public pro-Palestine positions for more than a decade.

@illeshamariePenélope Cruz and Javier Bardem were blacklisted for saying back then what many are just realizing now... Should I cover more celebrities punished for supporting Palestine? Comment who I should do next. #penelopecruz #javierbardem #hollywood #celebritynews #tiktokrundowncontest

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Earlier this year at the Academy Awards, while presenting the Oscar for Best International Feature Film, Bardem also stated plainly: “No to war and free Palestine.”

@illeshamariePalestine on the Oscars stage from Vanessa Redgrave in 1978 to Javier Bardem today. Is this a real change in Hollywood? #oscars #javierbardem #vanessaredgrave #academyawards #popculture

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It’s interesting how much the media landscape has changed in the last decade or so. It’s normal now for viewers to scrutinize the politics of celebrities and entertainment companies, even revisiting older films and TV shows through a much more skeptical lens.

Is that shift limited to elite cultural spaces like Cannes, or is pop culture changing in general?

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Alysa Liu Sharing Palestinian Resources

Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu is one of the latest public figures using her platform to stand up for Palestine.

Liu has used her social media to express solidarity with Palestine in the past, and this past May she shared a blog, Protective Presence, documenting life in the occupied West Bank, to her Instagram.

An Olympic champion sharing Palestinian resources would’ve been unthinkable in mainstream American sports culture just a few years ago. Now, it just seems like part of a much larger movement.

If public figures are becoming more willing to engage with Palestine, what happens to the narratives that have always influenced how Western audiences understand Israel? One of the most powerful of those involves LGBTQ rights…

I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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How LGBTQ Pride Became Part of the Entertainment Machine (Paid Subscribers)

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I’ve actually been to that mosque before for an interfaith event years ago, so hearing this happened there is surreal. I can’t stop thinking about the families and community members now trying to process something so devastating.

I especially can’t stop thinking about one of the victims, Amin Abdullah, a security guard at the mosque who gave his life keeping the shooters contained near the front area of the complex, preventing them from reaching children inside the school. Friends described him as deeply kind, devoted to his faith, and committed to protecting his community. He was also a father of eight.

The Islamic Center of San Diego has established an official fund to support the family of Amin Abdullah and the other victims and families impacted by the attack, linked here for anyone who would like to donate directly.

Before getting into today’s newsletter, I just want to thank you all for continuing to support this space. Pop culture is one of the main places where ideologies compete, hiding behind entertainment, celebrity culture, and branding.

If you’d like to help sustain independent media and deeper analysis like this, subscribe for $5/month. And if this piece resonates with you, please share it with someone who might like it.

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Hollywood’s Israel Problem

Just in the past week, I ended up researching Chelsea Handler, Boy George, and Euphoria…and all of those topics sort of pointed me towards the way American pop culture still can’t handle moral questions around Israel and Palestine. Politics, identity, propaganda, and celebrity all work together around this issue in ways that seem different from almost any other political issue.

Take the Chelsea Handler/Shane Gillis exchange during Netflix’s Roast of Kevin Hart. Shane Gillis straight up called Chelsea a zionist. I can’t even remember a time I’ve heard the word “zionist” on TV. Chelsea also seemed surprised. When it was her turn to go on stage, she responded, “Judaism and zionism are two different things.”

…Yes, they are two different things, but Chelsea in particular has a long public history of supporting Israel.

@illeshamarieWho actually won this roast battle: Shane Gillis or Chelsea Handler? 👀 #shanegillis #chelseahandler #netflixisajokefestival #snl #tiktoktvfilmcontest

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Over the years, she’s partnered with Israeli propagandist Noa Tishby, spread Israeli hasbara online, visited Israel for a PR tour, and consistently frames Israel as being aligned with progressive values as a way to detract from its decades-long human rights violations of Palestinians.

Celebrity Culture as Political Infrastructure

Boy George also appears to be stumbling under this new zionist-skeptical Hollywood reality. He spent months defending Israel’s participation in Eurovision while repeatedly equating criticism of Israel with hostility toward Jewish people. As a Eurovision contestant he was, ironically, beat out by Israel for the final.

@illeshamarieBoy George is one of the most pro-Israel celebrities at Eurovision 2026, while also competing in the contest himself representing San Marino. 👀 Did you catch what he’s doing by conflating Israel with Jewish people? #boygeorge #eurovision #eurovision2026 #celebritynews #tiktoktvfilmcontest

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Boycott organizers and activists have repeatedly stated their criticism is directed at Israel, not Jewish people. But pop culture keeps collapsing those categories together anyway.

Part of the reason this keeps happening is because entertainment culture increasingly functions as a kind of pre-political infrastructure. The entertainment industry helps normalize certain political positions long before most people engage with political discussions overtly.

Which brings me to something else I kept thinking about this week: the role entertainment itself plays in reinforcing politics over time.

The Dictator and Post-9/11 Entertainment

I rewatched clips from The Dictator recently. At the time, Western media was saturated with post-9/11 scripts about terrorism, dictators, extremism, nuclear threats, and “saving” or “democratizing” the Middle East. Shows like Homeland and 24 kept those themes constantly circulating through mainstream entertainment.

That was the context in which The Dictator was born, Sacha Baron Cohen’s massive Paramount comedy about a cartoonishly violent Arab leader. The movie, although claiming to be satire, still worked to normalize stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims and make Western intervention in SWANA seem inevitable, even funny.

Entertainment Trains Emotional Common Sense

People underestimate how political entertainment actually is precisely because the repetition of these kinds of themes train us to develop a kind of emotional common sense over time in terms of our reaction to news.

I went on a Euphoria rabbit hole this week too. Euphoria is supposed to be this quintessential American Gen Z HBO show, but it was originally adapted from an Israeli series, with the Israeli creators remaining attached as executive producers.

We’re entering this new era where people no longer see pop culture as separate from politics, propaganda, lobbying, identity, branding, or soft power. Which means celebrity culture itself has become one of the primary ways political ideologies are being negotiated in real time. And I don’t think the industry is fully prepared for audiences who have started noticing that.

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What To Actually Do With This Information

Pay attention to:

• which organizations coordinate celebrity messaging

• which tropes get repeated across TV, comedy, music, and film

• how criticism of ethnostates gets reframed as criticism of identities

• who funds media projects

• how international entertainment industries engage with politics and lobbying

Seek out:

• Palestinian filmmakers and journalists

• independent journalism

• international cinema

• media criticism

The more people understand how entertainment shapes emotional consensus, the harder it becomes for any single story to feel automatic or invisible.

If You Want To Go Deeper

This week’s stories reminded me how interconnected all these entertainment worlds really are, so I wanted to put together a mini rabbit-hole starter pack for anyone who wants to go deeper into the overlap between pop culture, propaganda, celebrity politics, and media systems.

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We don’t talk enough about the organizations behind these campaigns, because that’s what they are (as someone who’s worked in organizing, this is the part that stands out to me immediately).

So walk with me…

In This Issue:

• The latest zionist “celebrity” letter

• The organization that coordinated it

• The studio pipeline pumping out pro-Israel propaganda

And for paid subscribers, I go deeper into the history of these particular zionist media organizations. Paid subscriptions are $5/month, and they directly support me as an independent writer and cultural commentator. You can subscribe here to read the full piece and support my work.

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The Lobbying Group Behind All of These Pro-Israel Celebrity Letters

Over 1,000 celebrities and industry figures signed onto a statement supporting Israel’s inclusion in the Eurovision Song Contest and opposing calls for a boycott.

The letter was organized by Creative Community for Peace, a group that operates inside the entertainment industry specifically to counter cultural boycotts of Israel. CCFP was founded in 2012 by music industry executives David Renzer (former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing) and Steve Schnur (Worldwide Executive & Music President at Electronic Arts).

This is what they do:

• Reach out to artists and their teams to schedule Israeli PR trips, concerts, etc.

• Coordinate petitions and open letters

• Mobilize industry figures when boycotts gain traction

@illeshamarieOver 1,000 Hollywood figures just signed a letter supporting Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision. It was organized by Creative Community for Peace, a group working inside the entertainment industry to push back against pro-Palestine activism. Have you heard of Creative Community for Peace before? #helenmirren #milakunis #eurovision #celebritynews #popculture

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CCFP produces these letters any time a cultural boycott is called in support of Palestine. And their messaging is consistent:

• “Music should unite, not divide”

• “Boycotts are harmful”

• “Art shouldn’t be political”

(I’m sure you’ll clock this rhetoric verbatim next time you see one of these letters, if you haven’t already).

The Studio Pipeline Pumping Out Pro-Israel Propaganda

While groups like Creative Community for Peace are organizing celebrities for Israel, there are companies like Keshet International, whose sole purpose is to develop and export Israeli narratives to Western audiences.

They adapted the Israeli series Prisoners of War into Homeland and the Israeli series False Flag into Suspicion. Now, they’re promoting a new series to American audiences called Unconditional.

@illeshamarieThis new series traces back to Israeli company Keshet International, the same company behind Homeland and Suspicion. These Israeli export dramas all have the same themes, structure, and emotional hooks. Is this propaganda still working? #unconditional #homeland #suspicion #hollywood #tiktoktvfilmcontest

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The show follows a familiar formula:

• Espionage

• Constant threat (to justify the espionage and worse)

• Emotional hook (in this case, a mother trying to save her daughter)

So we’ve got Keshet International crafting the narratives that justify zionism intellectually, and Creative Community for Peace organizing celebrities to support zionist policies…

How many more of these are there?

These are just two pro-Israel Hollywood institutional pipelines that happen to be in the news right now, but Hollywood propaganda relies on multiple systems playing different roles, reinforcing the same narratives.

All we see on the surface is:

• Celebrities speaking out

• New shows and movies coming out

• Celebrities “traveling to Israel”

But the infrastructure connecting it all isn’t always obvious. I dive deeper into that infrastructure below for paid subscribers.

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This Has Happened Many Times Before

Creative Community for Peace has actually been organizing inside Hollywood for over a decade. Here are five campaigns they’ve launched to target pro-Palestine activism in the entertainment industry:

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One example of that erasure is the 1936–1939 Arab Revolt in Palestine. Learning about that revolt makes it clear that zionist colonization didn’t begin in 1948 (and most of us grew up never hearing about it for that exact reason).

That’s why Palestine ‘36, Annemarie Jacir’s latest film, is so important right now.

If you want to go deeper, the paid section of this newsletter breaks down how films like this struggle to get funding. I also share a more personal check-in about this season of life, balancing work and motherhood.

If this kind of work matters to you, subscribing helps me keep doing it independently, and with the time and care it deserves. Paid subscriptions are $5/month, and they directly support me as a writer and cultural commentator doing this while raising two kids and trying to create something sustainable.

You can subscribe here to read the full piece and support my work.

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Palestine ‘36 and the History We Were Never Taught

The historical drama Palestine ‘36, directed by Annemarie Jacir, has officially begun its U.S. theatrical rollout, with screenings starting in New York and expanding nationwide this month.

Set during the 1936–1939 Arab Revolt in Palestine, one of the most pivotal and under-discussed moments in Palestinian history, the film follows Yusuf, a young boy moving between his rural village and Jerusalem as the country begins to erupt.

By the 1930s, the conditions for revolt had already been forming for decades. In 1917, the British government issued the Balfour Declaration, promising support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine…without consulting the Palestinian majority already living there.

Under British rule, zionist organizations stole land, built infrastructure, and created armed militias. This was a colonial project backed and facilitated by an empire.

When Palestine Rose Up

In April 1936, Palestinians launched a general strike that quickly escalated into a nationwide uprising. What followed were three years of sustained resistance, and an equally sustained campaign of repression.

The British imposed martial law. They carried out mass arrests, executions, and home demolitions. And, importantly, they armed and trained zionist paramilitary groups like the Haganah, forces that would later form the foundation of the Israeli military.

In many ways, the infrastructure of 1948 was built here.

Where to Watch

Understanding the historical backdrop makes seeing this story on screen all the more compelling. Here’s where you can catch Palestine ‘36 as it rolls out across North America.

Key dates include:

• New York City: March 20 onward

• Los Angeles: begins March 27

• San Diego: March 27

• San Francisco: March 27–29

• Washington, D.C.: begins March 27

• Oakland: April 3

A wider release across major North American markets is expected in early April, with additional screenings likely at major theater chains.

You can find showtimes and tickets here!

Why Now

The fact that Palestine ‘36 is finally reaching wider audiences raises an important question: why has it taken so long for stories like this to get made and funded? The answer lies in the politics of Hollywood financing. I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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In today’s newsletter, I break down the protest symbols and speeches that appeared throughout the ceremony. In the paid section, I go deeper into what’s possibly behind that change.

If you want the full analysis, join the paid subscriber community for $5 a month. Your support helps me keep writing independent cultural and political analysis like this.

In This Issue:

• Palestine Returns to the Oscars: How 2026 Changed Hollywood Activism

• Why Palestine Finally Broke Through at the 2026 Oscars (Paid Subscribers)

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Palestine Returns to the Oscars: How 2026 Changed Hollywood Activism

Since Israel’s genocide in Gaza in 2023, Hollywood has largely avoided discussing Palestine at the Academy Awards. That seemed to change at this year’s Oscars, where pro-Palestine and anti-war messages appeared more visibly across both the ceremony and the red carpet.

The most talked-about moment came from Javier Bardem.

While presenting Best International Feature Film, he said (to APPLAUSE), “No to war and free Palestine.” And he delivered that line while wearing a “No a la Guerra” pin he first wore in 2003 while protesting the Iraq War.

Actor Hannah Einbinder said she was grateful Bardem spoke up in a room where few others had, but wasn’t surprised that most didn’t.

Several attendees also wore red “Artists4Ceasefire” pins.

Members of the cast of The Voice of Hind Rajab, nominated for Best International Feature, wore the pins together. One of the film’s stars, Saja Kilani, said:

“Our struggles are connected. So is our liberation.”

But one of the film’s actors, Motaz Malhees, was unable to attend after being denied entry to the United States with a Palestinian passport.

During the Best International Feature acceptance speech, director Joachim Trier of Sentimental Value quoted James Baldwin:

“All adults are responsible for all children.”

He went on to specifically name Palestinian, Sudanese, and Ukrainian children, calling on voters to reject leaders who ignore childrens’ suffering.

Actor Joel Edgerton, speaking as a father, also talked about the suffering of children in conflicts and expressed support for those who “choose to speak publicly.”

The Best Documentary category, traditionally the most political at the Oscars, continued that trend.

David Borenstein, co-director of Mr. Nobody Against Putin, described his film as a warning about how democracies deteriorate, through “countless small acts of complicity.”

Activist groups also used the event as a platform. Free Press drove a mobile billboard around the Dolby Theatre protesting corporate consolidation involving Paramount, Skydance, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

But these moments didn’t happen in a vacuum. Taken together, they can help explain why Palestine was more visible at this year’s Oscars.

Why Palestine Broke Through at the 2026 Oscars

For decades, Palestine was almost entirely absent from the Oscars stage, even since the onset of the genocide in Gaza. So why did that change in 2026? I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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In This Issue:

• Gavin Newsom’s Israel Shift Is No Accident

• The Spirit Awards and the Limits of Celebrity Activism

• The Spectacle and the Red Carpet (Paid Subscribers)

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Gavin Newsom’s Israel Shift Is No Accident

Let’s start with the political shift that feels the most deliberate. California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently made some statements that were (gasp!) openly critical of Israel. And ever-calculated Gavin Newsom is NOT the type to wander into controversial foreign policy framing by accident.

So what changed?

Well, for the first time in decades, polling shows that Americans are increasingly more sympathetic to Palestinians than to Israelis. And this shift is most pronounced among voters under 35, the demographic that will shape the next presidential election.

Something notable about this next cohort of voters and activists is that among younger male voters in particular, politics doesn’t always follow traditional left-right ideological lines. Instead, it seems like it’s moreso based on status, aesthetics, dominance, and vibe.

For example, Clavicular, a popular Gen-Z streamer known for “looksmaxxing” content, said Newsom will be our next President simply because he “mogs” (looks better than) JD Vance. To this cohort, Newsom’s appeal isn’t policy-based at all. It’s about who appears confident, controlled, and dominant.

And you can be sure that when Newsom is asked in interviews about the Clavicular clip, he’s made it clear he has seen it. Newsom hasn’t undergone a moral transformation. He’s just reading the cultural weather. He understands that criticism of Israel can function as a signal of independence from the establishment.

Now, is this the beginning of a broader political realignment, or simply another example of political elites adjusting their tone in the run-up to an election? That remains to be seen, but we can be sure politics is increasingly shaped by aesthetics and performance.

And in that context, awards season gives us a clue as to what issues my be on the table in the midterms later this year.

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The Spirit Awards and the Limits of Celebrity Activism

If you want to know what feels speakable in Hollywood at a given moment, pay close attention during awards season.

The Film Independent Spirit Awards, in particular, often function as an early indicator of the industry’s political temperature. They center lower-budget filmmaking and have historically been where riskier politics and less market-tested storytelling show up first. Moreover, over the past decade, films like Moonlight, Spotlight, and Everything Everywhere All at Once won at both the Spirits and the Oscars. A Spirit win can generate momentum and legitimacy, especially since the ceremony lands close to Oscar voting.

So it was telling that at this year’s 2026 Spirit Awards, Natasha Rothwell paused mid-presentation and said plainly, “I just want to say, Fuck ICE,” and on the red carpet, actors including Tessa Thompson and Kumail Nanjiani also wore “ICE Out” pins in the wake of the fatal shootings of Minneapolis residents Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in January.

The films themselves were also in conversation with similar themes. Across categories, honored projects wrestled with belonging, erasure, systemic violence, and who is protected by the state.

Esta Isla took place in Puerto Rico and framed storytelling as a corrective to invisibility.

The Perfect Neighbor, a documentary examining the deadly consequences of Stand Your Ground laws, used its acceptance moment to talk about systemic racism and weaponized fear.

@filmindependentAt the 41st Film Independent #SpiritAwards, ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ director/producer, Geeta Gandbhir delivered a powerful speech for her Best Documentary win. @netflix #FilmIndependent #theperfectneighbor #documentary

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The art and the speeches pointed in the same direction. Still, there’s a shift worth noticing. The red carpet has grown louder on immigration enforcement, but quieter on Palestine. References to Israel’s ongoing genocide in violation of the ceasefire and its settlement expansion policies and annexation efforts in the West Bank, have largely been absent from red carpets or acceptance speeches this season.

Award shows don’t start movements. They reveal which critiques feel safe to amplify. The Spirit Awards don’t determine Oscar winners. But they do map the industry’s emotional weather. Right now, open confrontation with domestic authorities appears to be more acceptable, while Palestine, which Americans are still directly implicated in through military aid to Israel, receives far less airtime.

And that contrast may be as telling as anything these celebrities say about their own politics.

The Spectacle and the Red Carpet

To go deeper, we have to talk about something slightly abstract but incredibly useful: the idea of “the spectacle.” I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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But momentum only matters if we build on it. That means keeping the pressure on, strengthening the infrastructure around Palestinian filmmaking, and doing whatever we can to help these perspectives reach wider audiences. Cultural storytelling shifts public opinion and shapes how people understand what’s happening, and what our tax dollars are funding.

The first (and main) piece in this newsletter is a deep dive into how we can all support Palestinian filmmaking in concrete ways. I’m sharing a wide range of sources that have informed my thinking and this newsletter as a whole, so you can watch, learn, and engage directly.

The second piece is more personal: my reflections on this year’s Oscars and what it means to see Palestine represented across multiple films on such a global stage.

If you value this kind of research and cultural analysis, please consider upgrading at the $5/month level. Supporting this work allows me to keep digging into these stories, especially when mainstream news outlets won’t fund or platform them.

Thank you for being here.

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4 Real Ways to Support Palestinian Filmmaking

Throughout my research for TikTok lately, I’ve been watching a lot of Palestinian films, and in the process, I’ve come across some resources that I genuinely think are powerful.

I wanted to share them with you because this is what infrastructure actually looks like. If major institutions in Hollywood, Cannes, or the broader film industry won’t consistently fund or platform Palestinian storytellers, then audiences have to help build alternative pathways. Streaming, subscribing, donating, and organizing add up and create leverage.

Here are a few places to start:

1. Stream and subscribe to Watermelon Pictures

They’re dedicated to investing in art and artists from communities whose perspectives are rarely centered in the mainstream, especially Palestinians.

Their streaming platform, Watermelon+, offers one of the most comprehensive collections of Palestinian cinema assembled in one place, along with early access to new releases. They’re currently distributing The Voice of Hind Rajab, which has brought significant international attention to Palestinian storytelling (more about that in today’s deep dive below).

2. Follow and amplify Palestinian creators

Palestinian filmmakers, actors, and artists are active across social platforms. Following, reposting, commenting, and saving their work helps expand reach and bypass traditional industry gatekeepers.

3. Donate to Palestinian filmmaking organizations

Groups like the Palestine Film Institute and the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture directly fund film projects, training programs, and residencies. Even small donations help sustain filmmakers navigating blocked funding routes and political restrictions.

4. Organize local screenings

Festivals like Palestine Cinema Days show how powerful communal viewing spaces can be. You can ask your local cinema, university, bookstore, or film club to host Palestinian films. Community screenings create space not just for viewing, but for dialogue. Watermelon Pictures even has a form here where you can request screening rights.

TL;DR

• Stream Palestinian films! Watermelon Pictures is a good starting point.

• Follow and amplify Palestinian creatives.

• Donate to funding organizations like the Palestine Film Institute and the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture.

• Host or request screenings in your community. Watermelon Pictures has a form for screening requests.

And this leads me into today’s bigger question: what happens when all of this momentum around Palestinian films reaches the Oscars stage?

In the paid section, I’m diving into this year’s Academy Awards and the unprecedented presence of Palestinian-centered films in the conversation. I look at what it means, whether the Academy is truly shifting, and what a nomination, or a win, would signal politically and culturally.

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Will the Academy Recognize Palestine?

I wrote a few weeks ago about how Hollywood’s story about Palestine may be changing. The Voice of Hind Rajab has been officially nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, marking a major milestone for Arab cinema and Palestine advocacy. Moreover, three Palestinian-centered films in total were officially submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature category at the 98th Academy Awards. I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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I grew up with my grandparents, and my Jiddo, the man of the house, has never been what you would call a football guy. But we would, as a family, watch the Super Bowl, especially the halftime show. It’s this ritualistic celebration of American football, this national symbol, so the cultural product - the halftime show - also becomes a stage where artists negotiate national meaning.

Now we see that negotiation spilling out onto the internet. Bad Bunny’s performance this year, for instance, was viewed very differently online by right-wing and left-wing commentators. On one hand it was interpreted as an anticolonial gesture, and on the other, it was seen to be promoting the pro-colonial Monroe/“Don-roe” Doctrine.

@illeshamarieWas Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show pro- or anti-colonial? What do you think? #badbunny #superbowl #halftimeshow #celebritynews #tvtok

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This argument is resurfacing at a time when Donald Trump and others on the right have revived explicitly hemispheric language about U.S. dominance in the Americas, invoking a modern version of the Monroe Doctrine in foreign policy rhetoric, informally referred to the “Don-roe Doctrine.”

If you accept the premise that “America” is being redefined politically right now, how do we see that playing out at the Super Bowl?

My full analysis of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance and what it reveals about U.S. soft power and empire is available for paid subscribers below. If you’d like to support this work and access the full piece, you can upgrade here.

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But first, today’s free piece looks at Ben Affleck and his long history of pushing back against Islamophobia in Hollywood, something that feels especially relevant now as we see Israel and the U.S. dusting off those old narratives now.

Before Instagram Activism, There Was Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is an Oscar winner, blockbuster lead, and tabloid fixture for decades. And for years, Affleck has consistently spoken out against Islamophobia and raised awareness about Palestine in ways that most of his peers simply haven’t.

Affleck actually studied Middle Eastern affairs in college in the early 1990s. That background shows up again and again in his public comments.

In 2003, he told Agence France-Presse:

“Most Americans don’t even know the difference between Persians and Arabs… or what the disagreement over Palestine actually is.”

Unfortunately, his critique of American ignorance still feels painfully relevant today.

But one of Affleck’s most famous political moments came in 2014, when he appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher.

During the episode, Maher and guest Sam Harris made sweeping, hostile claims about Islam. And Affleck pushed back forcefully.

He rejected the idea that Islam is inherently incompatible with Western values and called out what he saw as thinly veiled bigotry.

@illeshamarieBen Affleck is a longtime critic of Islamophobia. And he’s been doing it long before it was mainstream or safe. Why don’t more people know about this side of him? Follow for more deep dives into the stories Hollywood doesn’t spotlight. #benaffleck #hollywood #celebritynews #batman #therip

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But Affleck’s politics haven’t stayed confined to interviews and TV appearances. He was one of the first celebrities to sign the Artists4Ceasefire letter in 2023. And his influence has also shaped the people closest to him.a

Over the years, members of his family have publicly expressed solidarity with Palestine as well:

• In 2019, his brother Casey Affleck was photographed wearing a “Free Palestine” shirt.

• Since 2023, his ex-wife Jennifer Garner has expressed support for Palestine.

• Their daughter Violet was photographed wearing a “Wear the Peace” sweater raising funds for Gaza.

Many celebrities discovered “activism” in the age of Instagram. Others speak up only when public opinion is already safely on their side. Affleck, however, has been remarkably consistent in his public-facing values.

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If Affleck represents political consistency inside Hollywood, Bad Bunny brings up a different question: what happens when an artist’s message has to pass through one of the most nationally symbolic and tightly managed platforms in America?

Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl, and the Monroe Doctrine

I thoroughly enjoyed Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance. It was immediately hailed as historic for highlighting the Spanish language and Puerto Rican music on one of the biggest stages in American entertainment. And it included a hemispheric vision of “America” that extended far beyond the United States.

But this last point was actually the focus of debate online. Many viewers, myself included, saw the performance as an anticolonial gesture, a redefinition of “America” that decentered the United States and foregrounded Puerto Rican and Latin American identity.

On the other side, though, including by some right-wing commentators, the performance was framed as something else entirely.

I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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The first two sections are for everyone. The final section, where I dig into the Grammys, Nicki Minaj, and the Epstein documents, is for paid subscribers, because that conversation goes deeper into industry politics and the things most outlets won’t touch. If you’d like to support my independent cultural journalism and access the full issue, you can upgrade here.

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Bad Bunny vs. Kid Rock: Who Gets to Be “All American”?

The Super Bowl is this coming Sunday, and Bad Bunny will be performing at the official halftime show. Unsurprisingly, that was enough to distract us plebs into arguing over the culture wars (at the same time as the latest batch of Epstein emails point to both sides working together to exploit the rest of us, hmm…).

Earlier this week, Turning Point USA announced that Kid Rock will headline its own “alternative” halftime show, airing the same night. They’re calling it the “All American Halftime Show,” and promoting it as a celebration of “faith, family, and freedom.” So…let’s pause.

Why doesn’t Bad Bunny’s performance count as “All American”? Because he’s Puerto Rican? Which is, last time I checked, a U.S. territory.

Calling their counter-event “All American” only makes sense if you’re implying that Bad Bunny isn’t.

Bad Bunny represents something many are deeply uncomfortable with: a globally dominant, unapologetically Latino cultural force. He doesn’t fit into a narrow idea of who gets to symbolize “America.”

Also, let’s be serious: Kid Rock, a washed-up niche celebrity from the 2000s, versus Bad Bunny, one of the biggest artists on the planet and an international sex symbol…I wonder who’s going to draw more viewers.

Anyway, the whole made-up controversy is ridiculous. What this really shows is how “American identity” gets weaponized to ignite partisanship, while liberal and conservative elites come together and laugh at us behind our backs.

“ICE Out” and the Limits of Celebrity Activism

A similar power struggle played out at the Grammys. On Sunday, February 1, multiple major artists used the ceremony to protest ICE policies. Many wore “ICE Out” pins on the red carpet and on stage as part of a broader organizing effort that had already appeared at earlier award shows and was connected to ongoing protests against ICE.

Billie Eilish won Song of the Year and said, “fuck ICE,” which was bleeped on broadcast. She and Finneas both wore the pins, and Billie has a long history of speaking out about these issues online.

Bad Bunny opened his speech with “ICE out” and condemned the dehumanization of immigrants. Kehlani spoke against ICE both on stage and on the red carpet. And Olivia Dean highlighted her immigrant heritage while accepting Best New Artist.

But at the same time…not everyone knew what they were doing. We saw Jack Antonoff get interviewed about his ICE pin, and he couldn’t really explain anything about it. He didn’t seem to understand why he was wearing the pin or what it represented.

@crystalcandid123lgbJack Antonoff #fyp #trending #jackantonoff #grammys @jack antonoff @GRAMMYS

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And that raises an uncomfortable question… How many celebrities are engaging with these issues because they actually understand them, and how many are doing it because it’s the “right” thing to be seen doing right now?

Immigration is a relatively “safe” issue in Hollywood. Opposing ICE mostly means opposing the political right.

Palestine is different. Palestine cuts across party lines. Zionism exists in both major parties. It’s backed by enormous money and institutional power, especially in entertainment and media, so speaking out there comes with huge consequences.

And we’ve seen that. A lot more celebrities were willing to wear “ICE Out” pins than were willing to say anything about Gaza, for one.

What the Grammys showed is that celebrity activism is shaped by risk management. Artists are encouraged to support “acceptable” causes while being discouraged from touching anything that might actually disrupt the status quo.

The final example might be the clearest one yet. It’s also the one most outlets won’t touch honestly, because it exposes industry politics.

I break that down in the section below for paid subscribers.

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The Grammys, Nicki Minaj, and Selective “Morality”

Which brings me to the last thing that’s been bothering me, and that’s how the Grammys continues to handle “controversy.” Let’s talk about the Nicki Minaj of it all.

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The second section, where I nerd out about this year’s Best Original Song nominees, is for paid subscribers. If you’d like to support my independent cultural journalism and access the full issue, you can upgrade here.

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Let’s start with the nomination that matters most.

Is The Oscars’ Story About Palestine Shifting?

This year, a Palestinian perspective has made it into the Academy Awards with the nomination of The Voice of Hind Rajab for Best International Feature Film, a film by Kaouther Ben Hania about the brutal killing of a five-year-old girl in Gaza by Israeli troops. At the same time, two Israeli films were also nominated.

When I first heard that, I assumed the Israeli films would be the sort of counter-narrative/propaganda/both-sides framing that could “balance” The Voice of Hind Rajab’s overt pro-Palestinian stance. But then I looked closer and was actually surprised by what I found.

The Palestinian Story at the Center

First, The Voice of Hind Rajab is a haunting docudrama about Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in 2024 while trying to evacuate Gaza with her family. Two ambulance workers who tried to rescue her were also shot and killed.

The film uses real emergency call recordings, audio of Hind begging for help while trapped inside a bullet-riddled car, surrounded by the bodies of her relatives who had already been killed.

For decades, Palestinian suffering has been erased, so this recognition on one of the world’s biggest stages feels like a real crack in the occupation’s facade. And that’s before you even consider how the inclusion of the Israeli films further contextualizes it.

So What Are The Israeli Films Nominated?

But two Israeli films were nominated too. Israeli filmmakers Hila Medalia and Meir Levinson‑Blount received Oscar nominations, with Medalia up for Best Documentary Short Film for Children No More: Were and Are Gone, about Israeli activists protesting the genocide in Gaza, and Levinson‑Blount nominated for Best Live Action Short Film for Butcher’s Stain, which follows an Arab butcher accused of tearing down posters of Gaza hostages.

I have not watched the Israeli films so I don’t know how they portray the larger zionist project, but in my research, I found that these are not films that reinforce the official Israeli narrative on Gaza. And that has made some Israelis very uncomfortable. For instance, Israel’s own Minister of Culture Miki Zohar has publicly complained about these films, saying: “Of course they were nominated. They’re against Israel.”

A Sea Change in Hollywood?

For years, Hollywood has pushed a simplified political story about Israel and Palestine that centers Jewish suffering while flattening Palestinian experience. Within that story, Israeli state violence is framed as self-defense, criticism is treated as taboo, and Palestinian perspectives are dismissed as biased.

But this year’s Oscar nominations tell a different story. You have a Palestinian child’s final moments being honored, and you have Israeli filmmakers themselves saying something is wrong here. This combination suggests that the narrative is no longer holding the way it used to.

It suggests that even inside occupied Palestine, even among people who grew up immersed in pro-Israel messaging, there is growing discomfort and even doubt.

You can only repeat “self-defense” so many times while your leaders are starving children. Eventually, the story stops working.

Am I reading into this too much, or are we watching a narrative unravel in real time? Am I naive to assume you cannot defend the indefensible forever? That no amount of messaging can erase what people are seeing with their own eyes?

I’d love to hear what you think. Is this a turning point?

Why Best Original Song is the Most Interesting Oscar Category This Year (Paid Subscribers)

I’ve always loved music, so I want to talk about what I feel like is an overlooked Oscar nomination category: Best Original Song. And this year, the lineup is especially fascinating. Here are some of my favorites, and why each one feels like a small masterpiece.

The full analysis is available to paid subscribers.

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The first section unpacks the Sadie Sink conversation. The second, a longer analysis of Bugonia, is for paid subscribers. If you’d like to support my independent cultural journalism and access that deeper dive, you can upgrade here.

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Sadie Sink, Hannah Einbinder, and the Question of “Who You Can Be Friends With”

Earlier this week, I posted a TikTok about Sadie Sink from Stranger Things, and some comments she recently made that caught my attention as U.S. awards season ramps up.

@illeshamarieSadie Sink praised Hannah Einbinder’s “Free Palestine” Emmy speech right as awards season kicks off. 👀 So what does this mean? Is Sadie questioning the Hollywood narrative around Palestine or is this just a symbolic nod with no real risk attached? #sadiesink #strangerthings #hannaheinbinder #noahschnapp #celebritynews

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Sink was included in New York Magazine’s Culturati 50 for 2025. In her interview, she was asked about her favorite awards-season speech, and she singled out Hannah Einbinder’s Emmy speech, where Einbinder famously said: “Go Birds, fuck ICE, and Free Palestine.”

@illeshamarieDid you expect to hear “Free Palestine” on the Emmy stage? Hacks stars Hannah Einbinder, Megan Stalter, and Lucia Aniello chose conscience over comfort at the Emmys last night. #hannaheinbinder #meganstalter #hacks #emmys #tiktokbuzzcontest

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For Sink to publicly praise a pro-Palestine statement felt notable, especially given Sadie Sink’s friendship with her co-star Noah Schnapp.

Schnapp has been widely criticized for openly pro-Israel statements since October 2023. He was filmed laughing with friends while sharing stickers that read “Zionism is sexy,” and he posted a long statement declaring, “You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism.”

Sink and Schnapp have also been open about being close friends. They’ve talked about their bond in interviews. So for some people, Sadie praising Hannah Einbinder raised immediate skepticism in light of her association with Schnapp.

And that’s where the comments on my video really split.

A lot of people responded with some version of: “What’s the big deal if her friend is a zionist?,” or “Are you saying people can’t be friends with someone who disagrees politically?”

But friendship isn’t just proximity. If you’re genuinely close to someone, chances are you respect them, you believe they’re a good person, and you value their moral judgment on some level. Zionism, as an ideology, isn’t just a “difference of opinion.” It’s a political framework that depends on the dispossession, subjugation, and ongoing killing of Palestinians. Right now, that includes genocide in Gaza, carried out in real time, with overwhelming evidence.

If you truly understand what’s happening, and you’re truly opposed to it, it’s very hard to reconcile that with deep, comfortable friendships with people who justify it.

At the same time, I do think there’s nuance here that gets flattened online.

Sometimes you meet people, especially through work, before you fully understand where they stand politically. Sometimes you don’t know much about zionism at all, and then you learn. Sometimes you realize, slowly and painfully, that you and someone you care about are standing on opposite sides of something enormous.

And when that happens, there are decisions to be made.

Personally, the first thing I would do is talk to my friend. I’d find a way to express my concerns about what’s happening in Palestine and see how they respond. There has to be an on-ramp for people who are questioning, or who haven’t yet questioned at all. You can state your position in a way that invites someone in without watering it down.

If someone isn’t ready, then the choice becomes yours.

For me, and for many others, once you see through zionism, once you understand how dangerous it is to normalize an ideology where one group’s safety is premised on another group’s erasure, it becomes very difficult to maintain intimate relationships with people who defend that system.

I’m curious how you all think about this. Where do you draw the line? What does accountability look like when people are still in the process of learning, or unlearning?

Let me know in the comments!

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I’ve been sitting with that tension between knowing, learning, and being accountable, and it kept echoing for me in an unexpected place: a film I watched recently that refuses to let “good intentions” off the hook.

Bugonia: When Being Right Isn’t Enough

Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen Bugonia (2025), I will be discussing major plot points so be aware.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ Bugonia is a paranoid thriller and remake of the South Korean cult classic Save the Green Planet!. It’s a story about two conspiracy theorists who kidnap a high-powered CEO, convinced she is an alien. For most of the film, the audience is led to believe that Teddy, one of the conspirators, is a dangerously paranoid serial killer. But the film has a twist that challenges that reading of him.

What Bugonia ultimately argues about moral certainty, violence, and human failure is deeply unsettling, and worth sitting with. The full analysis is available to paid subscribers.

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This week I’ve been thinking about how protest culture is alive and well in Hollywood, even at the Golden Globes which were largely apolitical last year. We saw Hannah Einbinder wearing her Artists 4 Ceasefire pin, continuing her streak of speaking out at awards shows (she used her Emmy speech last year to say “Free Palestine”). We also saw a number of celebrities wearing ICE pins this year.

For paid subscribers, I’m also sharing what I’ve been watching lately, along with notes on how I’m experiencing these shows after two years of genocide and within the current political context of the White House. If you’d like to support my independent cultural journalism and get access to those deeper dives, you can upgrade here.

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Celebrities Used the Golden Globes to Protest ICE Violence

On Sunday night, celebrities brought protest back to the Golden Globes red carpet. Several attendees wore black-and-white pins reading “ICE OUT” and “BE GOOD,” honoring Renée Good, who was shot and killed last week in Minneapolis by an ICE officer. The pins also commemorated Keith Porter, a 43-year-old man fatally shot by an off-duty ICE officer in Los Angeles just days earlier.

Who wore the pins

Celebrities spotted wearing the “ICE OUT” and “BE GOOD” pins included Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Sykes, Jean Smart, Tessa Thompson, Natasha Lyonne, Ariana Grande, and others. Jean Smart wore the pin while accepting her award for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Musical or Comedy Series.

Pins were passed hand-to-hand at pre-Globes parties and informal gatherings in the days leading up to the ceremony.

Organizers say they plan to continue distributing the pins throughout awards season, keeping the names of Good, Porter, and others killed by ICE agents in the public eye.

Celebrities Speaking Out Against ICE

The red carpet wasn’t the only place where celebrities sent that message. A growing number of actors, musicians, and public figures spoke out in the days following the shooting.

Among them:

• Simu Liu, who called the killing “murder” and wrote, “immigration laws can be enforced in a dignified way. f*** ICE forever.”

• Amanda Seyfried, who reshared Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s demand that ICE leave the city, alongside a quote from 1984.

• Cynthia Nixon, who called for the arrest and prosecution of the ICE agent.

Eva Longoria, Ayo Edebiri, Kerry Washington, Finneas, Kim Gordon, Billy Eichner, Alan Cumming, and many others also amplified footage, named the victim, or condemned ICE directly.

These moments matter not because celebrity activism is perfect, but because culture remains one of the few spaces where dominant narratives can still be disrupted in real time. That shift changes how everything else looks, including the “apolitical” films and TV shows we watch.

Below, in the paid section, I’m shifting into what I’ve been watching this week, and how I’m watching it after two years of genocide and in the current political climate.

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I hope you had a good holiday season! Whew. The holidays with kids are no joke, especially when everyone is sick on and off, but we still had a beautiful New Year with family and close friends.

Looking forward to 2026, I’m excited about awards season again! My grandparents used to host Oscars parties when I was a kid, and we’d get so excited watching the red carpets and the speeches. As an adult, though, I’m just as interested in what happens behind the scenes: the politics, and the moments when celebrities use their visibility to say something that actually matters.

So this week, I wanted to share my thoughts on the upcoming award shows as well as award shows past. For paid subscribers, I’m also publishing a deep dive on Pluribus, one of the most politically sharp sci-fi series I’ve seen in a long time. If you’d like to support my independent cultural journalism and get access to those deep-dives, you can upgrade here.

In This Issue:

• When the Oscars Confront War, From Vietnam to Gaza

• Save to Watch Later: Awards, Boycotts, & Backlash

• “All That You Have Is Stolen”: Pluribus, Colonialism, and Collective Control (Paid Subscribers)

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When the Oscars Confront War, From Vietnam to Gaza

Historically, whenever celebrities speak out about injustice at award shows, the reaction has often been backlash and institutional panic. One of the clearest examples happened more than fifty years ago.

In 1975, the anti–Vietnam War documentary Hearts and Minds won Best Documentary at the Academy Awards. In his acceptance speech, producer Bert Schneider went off-script and read a telegram from Dinh Ba Thi, a Viet Cong official, thanking American anti-war activists for helping push for peace. Schneider then added, “It is ironic that we are here at a time just before Vietnam is about to be liberated.”

This was just weeks before the fall of Saigon, when the war was still framed by many Americans as a loss rather than a violent occupation coming to an end (which is why using the language of liberation was controversial).

Backstage, the producers panicked. Co-host Frank Sinatra read a statement saying, “We are not responsible for any political references made on the program, and we are sorry they had to take place this evening.” This statement wasn’t even officially approved by the Academy. It was written hastily by Bob Hope, a longtime performer for U.S. troops, and handed to Sinatra to read live. That night was one of the first times an awards show became a battleground over anti-war speech.

Today, the pattern hasn’t changed much. When Jonathan Glazer used his Oscars acceptance speech to speak about Gaza, or when Hannah Einbinder said “Free Palestine” at the Emmys, they were both immediately smeared in the press. On the flip side, because their statements were seen as “controversial,” they were repeated over and over again, reaching new audiences. And in other circles, they were celebrated as heroes.

Who do you think might make a pro-Palestine Oscars speech this year, if anyone? Do speeches like these make a real difference? If not, why are they punished by Hollywood?

Leave a comment

Save to Watch Later: Awards, Boycotts, & Backlash

I’ve been thinking about how artists use global staged events to spotlight Palestine, from Vanessa Redgrave at the 1978 Oscars to today’s Eurovision boycotts. Here are a couple of videos to save for later.

These 5 Countries Are Boycotting Eurovision Over Israel

@illeshamarieDo you think the US could ever do something like this? Comment your thoughts, save this for later, and follow for media analysis you won’t see on cable news. #eurovision #popculture #entertainmentnews #tvtok #music

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These European countries are boycotting the song contest due to Israel’s participation.

Vanessa Redgrave Said This at the 1978 Oscars

@illeshamarieIs there ANYONE today doing it like Vanessa Redgrave? Nearly 50 years ago, she sold two homes, traveled to Palestine, and financed The Palestinian documentary herself. In 1978, after winning an Oscar for Julia, she took the biggest stage in the industry and condemned those who tried to silence her... #oscars #academyawards #awardshow #popculture #filmtok

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In 1978, Vanessa Redgrave directly challenged zionist influence at the Academy Awards and her example has echoed for decades.

Speaking of resistance, my obsession this week has been a show that confronts themes like AI and colonization…

“All That You Have Is Stolen”: Pluribus, Colonialism, and Collective Control

I’m obsessed with Pluribus!! It’s the kind of sci-fi that reminds me why I love the genre, because it’s less about the future or another world and more about the present we’re living in. A heads-up: this piece includes some spoilers if you haven’t seen it yet.

Subscribe to read the full breakdown and to support this work.

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I am so tired.

Everyone has been sick: me, my husband, the kids. Weeks of trading illnesses back and forth.

I had about a two-day window where I was finally well, and I used it to go to the TikTok Awards. It was actually pretty cool. I got to meet other creators whose work I admire, and it reminded me that there is a world beyond my house, ev…

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In this issue, I’m reflecting on what this year of becoming a mother of two has taught me, how Hollywood has quietly shaped public opinion on Israel for decades, and how we can give more intentionally this season.

In This Issue:

• What Having My Second Child This Year Taught Me

• Save to Watch Later: Israeli Propaganda in Hollywood

• Illesha’s Ethically-Minded Gift Guide (Paid Subscribers)

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What Having My Second Child This Year Taught Me

My daughter was born in February, and ten months later, I’m still learning new lessons about the world and about myself as a mother.

Becoming a parent to a newborn again has taught me so much about hope and faith, things I’m not sure I ever really understood before. The most vulnerable I’ve ever felt has been when caring for small children. Plus, pregnancy and newborn life can make everything feel out of control, so I’ve been practicing faith that things will be alright.

There’s something miraculous about just witnessing life unfold, like the first smile, the first laugh, the first word. Watching my kids grow has taught me to notice resilience everywhere. It reminds me that life goes on, no matter the circumstances, and that I am also learning and growing. It’s taught me that life always brings new opportunities to build and rebuild.

Having a newborn also teaches humility. You cannot control sleep, emotions, or the wider world, but you can respond with care. And more often than not, that care and intention matters more than skill when your baby needs you.

In my creative work, I’ve felt the power of persistence. Even short TikToks can open conversations about colonialism, erasure, and justice. Even essays can ripple outward and make someone reconsider a story they’ve always accepted. These small acts require faith that what you do matters, even if you cannot see the full impact.

Becoming a newborn mom again has reminded me to pay attention, to nurture the moment, and to put care into whatever I’m working on because it matters. It has reminded me that the next generation, my children, your children, or the children in your life, will inherit the world we shape today.

As we approach 2026, I hope we all carry a little more of this lesson with us: just being there matters, even when you have no idea what you’re doing. And when the world feels broken, faith in renewal and justice is more necessary than ever.

I’m taking that lesson with me into everything I do: my family, my creative work, my writing, and my activism.

And with that spirit, I’ve been digging deeper into media and propaganda.

Save to Watch Later: Israeli Propaganda in Hollywood

Israeli Propaganda Inside World War Z

Lately I’ve been continuing my excavation into Israeli propaganda in TV and film. There is so much of it, but World War Z stands out as a particularly egregious example, made even more glaring because it stars someone as globally ubiquitous as Brad Pitt.

@illeshamarieDid you notice the Israel propaganda in World War Z? I break down how Hollywood frames Israel as heroic and why this blockbuster became “the greatest piece of cinematic propaganda for Israel since Exodus.” Comment your thoughts, share if you learned something new, & follow for more hidden stories behind Hollywood movies. #worldwarz #hollywood #filmtok #celebritynews #bradpitt

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Paul Newman: From Exodus to Calling out U.S. Hypocrisy on Israel

What happens when a propaganda star becomes critical of Israel?

Paul Newman starred in Exodus, probably the first major Hollywood film designed to launder Israel’s image. And because enough time has passed, we can actually see how that shook out: Newman eventually became openly critical of the U.S. relationship with Israel.

It makes me wonder how today’s loudest defenders of the zionist project will look back on all of this decades from now, when the truth is impossible to ignore.

@illeshamariePaul Newman starred in one of Hollywood’s most zionist films, then turned around and exposed the U.S.’s double standard on Israel on national TV. Funny how that part never makes it into his legacy. Follow for more hidden Hollywood history they won’t teach you. #hollywood #celebritynews #historytok #paulnewman #oldhollywood

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It’s not just what we watch, though, it’s what we consume in general. The biggest companies often support agendas we actively disagree with. And in this case, the agenda is not just harmful but morally indefensible.

So this year, as I put together my gift guide, I kept all of this in mind. And I’m trying, in every area of my life, to align my choices with the world I want my kids to grow up in.

Illesha’s Ethically-Minded Gift Guide

(For Adults & Kids)

I love giving gifts, but I hate the feeling of handing people something that was mass-produced or ethically questionable. This year, I wanted to put together a guide that feels good. These gifts support Palestinian brands, small creators, artists, and things that actually bring joy without compromising values.

If you’re looking for meaningful, mindful gifts, here’s my curated list.

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And for paid subscribers, I’m teasing out one of the biggest stories U.S. media is ignoring: three groundbreaking Palestinian films fighting through award season with almost zero mainstream coverage. If you want to read that full deep-dive, you can upgrade here. Paid subscriptions genuinely sustain this work and make these conversations possible.

In This Issue:

• The Hidden Messages in Miss Palestine’s Miss Universe Looks

• Save to Watch Later: Israeli Propaganda in TV/Film

• Why Is U.S. Media Pretending Palestine Isn’t Dominating Award Season? (Paid Subscribers)

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The Hidden Messages in Miss Palestine’s Miss Universe Looks

Miss Universe was last month, and I’ve talked about it a bit, but I can’t let it pass without taking a closer look at Miss Palestine’s looks.

Fashion is visual language, powerful because it bypasses debate and speaks directly to instinct, memory, and culture.

Despite nonstop smears from Zionists (including Miss Israel), Nadeen Ayoub still placed in the top 30 out of 120+ contestants, which is a massive achievement, especially for someone representing a colonized nation.

@illeshamarieMiss Israel vs Miss Palestine? 👀🇵🇸 This is the first time Palestine has EVER competed in Miss Universe, and the pressure & backlash are real. Share this so more people understand the story behind that “dirty look.” The Miss Universe finale is Nov 21 on Telemundo & Peacock. Are you watching? Follow for more pop culture moments mainstream media ignores. #misspalestine #missisrael #missuniverse2025 #missuniverse #popculture

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Here’s what her three major looks represented:

1. Preliminary Evening Gown - Phoenix, Rebirth, Resilience

Designer: Benj Leguiab IV

Ayoub opened prelims in a sweeping phoenix-inspired gown she said represented rebirth and Palestinian resilience.

2. Swimsuit Competition - Modesty, Integrity, Agency

Designer: Nayades the Label

She walked the swimsuit stage in a look unlike anything else there:

• white one-piece

• sheer tights

• flowing white robe lined with red tatreez

She wrote on Instagram:

“To every young girl watching: be proud of who you are. You don’t need to change to shine.”

Her modest look was a reclamation of agency, and a recasting of modesty itself as a source of strength and cultural affirmation.

3. National Costume - Tatreez, Coexistence, and a Living Archive

Designer: Neveen El Kady

This was the look that took everyone’s breath away.

Ayoub stepped out in an ivory gown embroidered with green-gold tatreez, which is a kind of stitching Palestinians have passed down for generations, and a shatweh-inspired crown, linking her to Palestinian bridal and village traditions. As is customary with tatreez, every stitch, motif, and hand-painted symbol in her national costume meant something:

• Villages erased by colonization

• Olive branches for rootedness and peace

• A key for the right of return

• A flowing cape painted with Al-Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre standing side by side, representing coexistence

Ayoub called the look, “My heritage, my voice, and my heart on the Miss Universe stage.”

Her Placement Matters

Making the top 30 means she outscored around 90 contestants in interviews, platform, evening gown, and swimsuit.

For contestants from politically suppressed nations, visibility is rare. Ayoub broke through that barrier wearing symbols zionists have spent decades trying to erase. And once you start noticing how culture carries political messaging, you see it everywhere in TV and film.

Save to Watch Later: Israeli Propaganda in TV/Film

If you’ve been following me on TikTok, you know I’ve been deep-diving into zionist propaganda in the shows and movies we all grew up on. Here are two videos you should watch (and share) if you haven’t already:

Friends

What looks like throwaway jokes is actually a textbook example of normalization. The most blatant one is Chandler dating an Israeli soldier, but I explain how this fits into a broader pattern of soft-power PR in Friends.

@illeshamarieDid you ever notice the pro-Israel messages hiding in plain sight? 👀 FRIENDS quietly shaped how millions of people saw the world without anyone realizing it. What hidden references did YOU catch in FRIENDS? Lmk in the comments & follow for more deep dives into the politics hiding in the shows you grew up with. #friendstvshow #popculture #tvtok #celebritynews #entertainmentnews

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World War Z

I unpack how World War Z turns Israel into the fortress of humanity, going through the specific plotlines that sanitize Israel’s occupation and apartheid.

@illeshamarieDid you notice the Israel propaganda in World War Z? I break down how Hollywood frames Israel as heroic and why this blockbuster became “the greatest piece of cinematic propaganda for Israel since Exodus.” Comment your thoughts, share if you learned something new, & follow for more hidden stories behind Hollywood movies. #worldwarz #hollywood #filmtok #celebritynews #bradpitt

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These two videos are essential viewing for understanding just how deep zionist messaging goes. Which brings me to one of the biggest stories U.S. media is ignoring this awards season…

Why Is U.S. Media Pretending Palestine Isn’t Dominating Award Season?

Some of the most urgent, artistically stunning films this year are Palestinian stories, and yet U.S. award-season coverage is pretending they don’t exist. All three films below are directed by women, centered on Gaza, and fighting for Oscar visibility:

• “Palestine 36,” the official Palestinian submission

• “All That’s Left of You,” representing Jordan

• “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” representing Tunisia

In the full piece, I get into the production chaos these filmmakers survived, the political forces working against them, and the U.S. distribution wall that keeps Palestinian cinema invisible.

Subscribe to read the full breakdown and to support this work.

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But it’s all good. I love being a mom and I’m indescribably, unbelievably grateful for my beautiful family. Not in the “Thanksgiving season gratitude” way, but in the intentional, everyday practice I try to cultivate. And besides that, I’ve been thinking about Thanksgiving more through the lens of genocide myths and the stories we tell and absorb without question.

For the full deep dive on that, upgrade to the paid subscription and read the full article here.

In This Issue:

• Pro-Palestine Jewelry: ZUDO Sale

• What November Taught Me About Media, Politics, and You

• Thanksgiving Through the Lens of Genocide: Where We Are in the Process

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Pro-Palestine Jewelry: ZUDO Sale

Before we get into the heavier stuff, let me share something I’m genuinely excited about.

Every time I wear ZUDO jewelry I get compliments. The quality is excellent, it doesn’t tarnish, plus the pieces are meaningful, affordable, and many are pro-Palestine. A portion of proceeds also goes to Palestinian charities, which I love supporting.

Their Black Friday sale is happening now, and I had to share it. You can get up to 60% off, plus free gifts, new arrivals, and free U.S. shipping on orders over $75. This is their biggest sale of the year, and the popular pieces always go first!

My favorite pieces (the ones you always see me wearing) are in the video above if you want to see them.

And speaking of what I’ve been wearing and posting, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at some of the cultural stories I’ve been wrestling with this month.

What November Taught Me About Media, Politics, and You

This month taught me a lot about what resonates with you all and what doesn’t, and I want to get better at making the kind of content you actually want to read and engage with. I love writing, I love talking to you, I love digging into ideas that excite me, and I want to keep connecting in a deeper way.

What Connected This Month

@illeshamarieAdam Sandler’s views on Israel in his own words… 👀 #adamsandler #hollywood #popculture #celebritynews #entertainmentnews

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You all loved the Adam Sandler and The Nanny videos. Nostalgia is complicated, especially when you look back and realize how much political messaging was baked into the media we grew up with. People assume propaganda is always loud or explicit, but the ‘90s were full of more subtle zionist messaging in sitcoms, kids’ movies, and comedy. Those are some of my favorite deep dives, too. I can only go that deep when I’m genuinely obsessed with a topic.

I’ve also been trying to level up my video quality: CapCut, editing workflows, export settings, all of that. If anyone knows the best export settings so TikTok doesn’t destroy quality or cause buffering (lol), please let me know.

What I Want to Work On

Promoting my Substack!!!

I pour so much time into these pieces, then make one Instagram post and one story, and feel like I’m annoying people if I do anything else. But I need multiple angles, multiple touchpoints, because I genuinely believe in what I’m building here. This is the kind of newsletter I would want to receive: thoughtful reflections, curated recommendations, political pop culture, and personal context.

If you want to help, the best things you can do are: share this newsletter, forward it, post it, or mention it to a friend. It really makes a difference. And if you have suggestions, tell me in the comments or DM me.

Looking Ahead to December

In December, I want to ground things more deeply. I plan to:

• Share more recommendations (maybe a BDS-friendly gift guide)

• Write more personal reflections

• Let you into my world a bit more… not just the topics I’m obsessed with, but the context of my real life behind the screen

I’m pushing myself to be more comfortable sharing more of me. It feels scary but necessary.

With all of that on my mind, I’ve also been thinking about Thanksgiving in a very different context this year.

Thanksgiving Through the Lens of Genocide: Where We Are in the Process

I was listening to the New York Times Opinions podcast this week (lol, don’t judge me - I listen to a lot of podcasts by wretched institutions, but this one looked interesting and I’m glad I did). The guest was Marianne Hirsch, a Holocaust scholar who has written extensively about how we teach and remember genocide.

Hirsch is part of a group of over 400 genocide and Holocaust scholars from around the world who recently released a powerful statement on the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

One idea Hirsch discussed on the podcast really stuck with me: the concept of genocide as a process.

For the full deep dive, upgrade to a paid subscription.

For more updates, follow me on:

TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | X/Twitter | Facebook

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