Javier Bardem<\/a> has claimed he\u2019s faced \u201cprofessional punishment\u201d due to his outspoken support for Palestine.<\/a> <\/p>\n The Spanish actor, 57, is among the most vocal celebrity activists for Gaza<\/a> amid the war with Israel.<\/p>\n At the 2026 Oscars in March, Bardem wore an anti-war patch and a pro-Palestine pin on his suit<\/a>. \u201cNo to war and free Palestine,\u201d he declared before presenting the award for Best International Feature Film, alongside Priyanka Chopra. <\/p>\n Speaking to Variety<\/a> in a new interview, the Oscar-winning No Country for Old Men star said that, like Susan Sarandon \u2014 who in February said it\u2019s been \u201cimpossible\u201d for her to even find television roles <\/a>after her participation in a pro-Palestine rally in 2023 \u2014 he, too, has lost out on jobs because of his stance. <\/p>\n \u201cYes, I\u2019ve heard things: \u2018They were going to call you about that project, but that\u2019s gone\u2019. \u2018Or this brand was going to ask you to do the campaign, but they cannot\u2019,\u201d Bardem said. \u201cIt\u2019s fine. I live in Spain. American studios are not the only place.\u201d<\/p>\n Of Sarandon\u2019s Hollywood exile, the Dune actor added: \u201cThat tells you how wrong this whole system is. She was one of the first ones to go there. And then she got that professional punishment.<\/p>\n \u201cSome people will put you on a blacklist,\u201d Bardem said. \u201cI cannot tell you if that\u2019s true or not \u2014 I don\u2019t have the facts. What I do have the facts about are the new people that are calling you because they want you in their project. That makes me feel that the narrative that they\u2019ve been using for so long is changing.\u201d <\/p>\n Admitting that he had originally expected his Oscar remarks to be booed, he said he instead received \u201can ovation.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the 98th Academy Awards, Bardem stopped to talk with The Independent\u2019s Caitlin Hornik <\/a>on the red carpet of the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.<\/p>\n Suggesting that his Hollywood peers were too \u201ccomfortable\u201d to speak out, he said: \u201cI think they don\u2019t want to feel, themselves, uncomfortable. And that makes me uncomfortable; me and many others.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I said \u2018free Palestine\u2019 in the room, in that theatre, the room broke [out] in a round of applause. So there is support, there is a lot of people supporting it, but it\u2019s not loud enough,\u201d Bardem acknowledged. \u201cThat\u2019s what I try to inspire. Like, \u2018Guys, it\u2019s OK. You can be part of the community of filmmaking, and also be a citizen, and it\u2019s OK.\u2019 One thing should be OK with the other.\u201d<\/p>\n Bardem and Sarandon aren\u2019t the only actors to face professional repercussions over their unwavering support for Palestine. <\/p>\n![\"Javier](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Javier-Bardem.jpeg\")
Javier Bardem wore an anti-war patch and a pro-Palestine pin to the 2026 Oscars (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Bardem](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2266728461.jpg\")
Bardem was joined by Priyanka Chopra to present the 2026 Oscar for Best International Feature Film (Getty)<\/p>\n