Jennifer Lawrence draws backlash with Palestine stance at San Sebastián

Jennifer Lawrence drew backlash from fans on Friday after publicly voicing a stance on Palestine at the San Sebastian Film Festival, where she appeared to promote her new film, Die My Love. The Oscar-winning actress, 35, used a festival press conference to address the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian war, saying what is happening in Gaza is no less than a genocide and that the situation is unacceptable. She described feeling terrified by the developments and said she is mortified by what is unfolding.

She added that the political climate in the United States is deeply concerning, pointing to what she called disrespect and discourse in American politics and warning that it could ill-affect a generation of voters. “Politicians lie, there is no empathy,” she said, urging people to remember that when they ignore what’s happening on one side of the world, it won’t be long before it’s on their side as well. Lawrence acknowledged that speaking out too much or answering too many questions could lead to her words being used to fuel rhetoric, but she stressed a desire to keep the focus on accountability and civic engagement, including voting when and where people can show up.

The remarks arrived amid ongoing debate over how celebrities weigh in on international conflicts, and they followed a social-media backlash from fans who argued that Lawrence had previously supported ally Amy Schumer’s Israel stance and was now backtracking. In the days after her comments, some fans accused the star of stepping back from earlier public support, while others defended her right to express a view on a rapidly evolving crisis.

The backlash also sits against a broader backdrop of the war that escalated after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which led to a ground and air campaign in Gaza and a mounting humanitarian crisis. The conflict has drawn intense international attention and fuelled a wide spectrum of responses from public figures and institutions alike. Supporters of Lawrence’s stance argued that she was naming what many see as a humanitarian catastrophe, while critics urged caution about celebrity commentary on a conflict with complex historical roots and a long history of civilian harm.

In recent years, Lawrence has publicly praised Schumer for speaking up on Israel amid the conflict. In a Variety profile published in April 2024, Lawrence described Schumer’s activism as courageous, saying she valued Schumer’s willingness to face online abuse and political scrutiny. “Amy’s choice to use her voice to speak for justice puts her under immense fire,” Lawrence said, adding that Schumer “throws her middle fingers up and walks away from negative comments.”

The social-media response to Lawrence’s latest remarks reflected a split among fans and commentators. Some applauded the actress for using her platform to address what she characterized as a grave humanitarian crisis and to criticize political rhetoric they view as corrosive to democratic norms. Others argued that celebrities should avoid weighing in on foreign policy issues that have no direct bearing on their professional work and accused Lawrence of taking a political stance for publicity or for moral grandstanding. Several commenters urged readers to consider the broader context of the conflict, including the toll on civilians and the actions of all sides, before drawing conclusions about any single public figure.

Lawrence has not shied away from controversial topics in the past, and her comments at San Sebastian have intensified a broader conversation about how artists engage with geopolitics on global stages. The Die My Love press appearance underscored the festival’s ongoing role as a venue where international cinema and socio-political discourse intersect, a dynamic that has long characterized cultural events in the post-Oscar season.

As the festival continues, industry observers note that the tension around celebrity speech reflects a broader, ongoing debate about accountability, artistic freedom, and the responsibilities of public figures when addressing violence and humanitarian crises. For audiences following the Die My Love premiere and related press, the conversation is likely to extend beyond the theater into broader discussions about how best to respond to conflicts that generate urgent humanitarian needs while testing the limits of public commentary from stars with global reach.