Hannah Einbinder Emmy Speech 2025
Hannah Einbinder stepped onto the Emmy stage September 14, 2025, finally a winner after years of nominations and losses—the kind of trajectory that makes a victory taste sweeter and a little offbeat.
She started with classic self-deprecation: "I was just 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." That’s not just a solid opening—it’s an understated roast of the whole awards apparatus. Sure, losing can be chic, but nobody turns down that statuette when it’s finally their name called.
Before the speech got spicy, she thanked the creators of Hacks—Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky—for not just giving her a genius gig but for becoming her “friends and family.” There’s something genuine in how Einbinder says thanks—it’s equal parts gratitude and “how weird is this life?” And because Jean Smart is the show’s anchor, Hannah described her as “like a sun, and I just get to bask in her warmth.” Not a bad work perk, standing in the glow of comedy royalty. (Side note—I always admire when actors acknowledge their coworkers instead of only their agents and stylists. It feels less like a résumé, more like a group hug.).
Then the gears shifted. The room tensed, probably a few folks glancing at producers and legal advisers just off-stage.
What Did Hannah Einbinder Say at the Emmys 2025?
Hannah closed her speech with a rapid-fire string of shout-outs and political statements that made for the night’s boldest live moment: “Go Birds, f*** ICE, and free Palestine.” For the folks at home, most of that didn’t make it through uncensored; network censors bleeped her, but social media didn’t.
Let’s break down those statements casually:
- Go Birds: She’s a Philadelphia Eagles fan. Gotta respect team loyalty, especially when your nerves are fried and you’ve just won an Emmy. She seemed genuinely proud to sneak in a sports cheer, even if 90% of Hollywood probably roots for west coast teams.
- F* ICE:** Politics, loud and clear. Einbinder’s speech criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), lining up with her very public activism against harsh immigration policies. This was not the “thank you to my glam team” kind of awards speech.
- Free Palestine: She ended with a shout for Palestinian liberation—again, not the typical awards-night remark. The phrase echoed across the room and social feeds, attaching her speech to a larger Hollywood movement; several stars wore Artists4Ceasefire pins and called for a Gaza ceasefire out on the red carpet. There was debate about what activism at an awards show should look like, but Einbinder made her position clear.
Backstage, she elaborated—her activism is personal, rooted in Jewish identity and a desire to distinguish the faith and its culture from the politics of the Israeli state. She also shared anecdotes about friends working in Gaza, delivering medical aid under dire circumstances, and her support of Hollywood’s boycott of Israeli film institutions involved in the ongoing conflict.
This year’s Emmys had a charity twist. Host Nate Bargatze set up a system—if a winner went over the allotted 45 seconds for their speech, he’d shave thousands off a promised $100,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Einbinder, well, blew past the deadline (she was probably making eye contact with the wrap-it-up guy). She pledged on stage to cover the shortfall herself.
That’s pretty punk, honestly: say your piece, pay your way, laugh at the absurdity. Some viewers started GoFundMe campaigns to help her out. Pretty sure this is the first time Emmy viewers have collectively crowd-funded an overlong acceptance speech.
Why It Was a Big Deal?
Hannah Einbinder’s Emmy moment wasn’t just about a trophy—it was about using a spotlight for something a little messier, stranger, and more charged than the usual. She turned a win into a platform, let nerves (and maybe a bit of adrenaline) direct her choices, and gave the show the kind of viral, unscriptable moment people actually want from live TV. Awards shows can be stodgy, so when they’re not, it’s worth celebrating—even if some lines don’t (technically) air.
