Billie Eilish and brother Finneas make political statement on Oscars red carpet

10 March 2024 , 22:53

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Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas made a political statement on the red carpet (Image: Getty Images)

It's not unusual for celebrities to make a political statement during award season.

In 1973, Native American actress Sacheen Littlefeather refused Marlon Brando's Best Actor Academy Award on his behalf and earlier this year, Annie Lennox called for a ceasefire in the Middle East at the Grammy Awards, to name a few. Now the stars have taken to the red carpet at this year's Academy Awards to join Annie's message of a ceasefire for the Israel-Hamas War that's been raging on for months.

Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, who are nominated for Best Original Song this year for What Was I Made For from the Barbie film - are some of the celebrities who wore red "Artists4Ceasefire" pins on their lapels as a symbol calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East. Other celebrities who wore the political pins were Poor Things actor Ramy Youssef and Eugene Lang.

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Ramy spoke with a reporter about a ceasefire (WWD via Getty Images)

Billie Eilish wore a Artist4Ceasefire pin (Getty Images)

Ramy spoke to a Variety reporter about the meaning of the button. "We’re calling for immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We’re calling for peace and lasting justice for the people of Palestine," he said.

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"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," the actor continued, "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.”

The brother and sister duo are nominated for Best Original Song (AFP via Getty Images)

Others on the carpet wearing the pins include Misan Harriman, the director of the nominated best live action short The After, and Kaouther Ben Hania, the director and writer of Four Daughters, which is nominated for Best Documentary Picture.

This isn't the first time that the pins have made an appearance on red carpets. Boygenius members Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker wore them at the Grammys this year as well.

Before the 96th Annual Academy Awards red carpet started, protestors gathered and shouted: "Ceasefire now! Free Palestine!"

Tatiana Krisztina