Javier Bardem denounced war as an act that “only benefits the richest” after making a passionate political statement at the Oscars.
The Spanish actor declared “No to war and free Palestine” onstage while presenting the Oscar for best international film at the annual awards ceremony on Sunday night.
The powerful statement won huge cheers from the audience and comes amid global backlash to recent American military strikes against Iran, as well as prolonged US intervention in the Middle East.
Bardem, 57, also wore a “No to war” patch on his tuxedo lapel and a pin supporting Palestine.
He had sported the same “No to war” patch at an awards show in 2003 when he was 30 while protesting the Iraq war.
Speaking after the Oscars, he said he feels “sad” that he still has to protest against war 23 years on, adding that leaders only wage war to “get richer”.
“I feel sad because we are going back to the same beginning - lying and manipulating information with a narrative that they want us to believe,” he told USA Today.
“There is only one reason they are doing what they are doing - to get richer. To get stronger geopolitically speaking.
“It's not about freedom, its not about changing any regime, it’s about creating chaos that only benefits the richest and the people that have the power to control the area.”
The reporter also asked Bardem: “Did you run any of your comments [onstage at the Oscars] past the producers?”
He replied: “No it’s all good, their response was amazing.”
Bardem reiterated his comments while walking the red carpet earlier in the evening.
“I'm wearing a pin that I used in 2003 with the Iraq war, which was an illegal war,” he told reporters.
“And we are here, 23 years after, with another illegal war, created by Trump and Netanyahu with another lie.”
Bardem’s comments were among a string of politically motivated moments at the Oscars denouncing Trump and war.
Show host Conan O’Brien said: “If I can be serious for just a moment, everyone watching right now, around the world, is all too aware that these are very chaotic, frightening times.”
Jimmy Kimmel appeared to make a dig at Trump, whose wife Melania’s own documentary was recently released, while presenting the documentary short and documentary feature award.
“Oh man, is he gonna be mad his wife wasn’t nominated for this,” he quipped.
On a more serious note, he added: “We hear a lot about courage at shows like this but telling a story that could get you killed for telling it is real courage.
“As you know, there are some countries whose leaders don’t support free speech.”
Kimmel went on to announce the documentary feature winner as Mr Nobody Against Putin.
Its co-creator David Borenstein told the audience the film is “about how you lose your country”.
In February, Bardem was one of more than 100 celebrities to sign an open letter criticising the Berlin Film Festival for “silence” on Gaza.
“We write as film workers, all of us past and current Berlinale participants, who expect the institutions in our industry to refuse complicity in the terrible violence that continues to be waged against Palestinians,” the letter reads.
“We are dismayed at the Berlinale’s involvement in censoring artists who oppose Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the German state’s key role in enabling it.
“As the Palestine Film Institute has stated, the festival has been ‘policing filmmakers alongside a continued commitment to collaborate with Federal Police on their investigations.'”
In September, he was also among more than 1,300 film workers who signed a pledge to refuse to work with Israeli film institutions “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people”.
Other actors who joined the movement included Olivia Colman and Aimee Lou Wood.
