Palestinian actor says he can’t attend Oscars due to US journey ban | Oscars 2026

Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees mentioned a journey ban imposed by Donald Trump is stopping him from attending Sunday’s Academy Awards, whose nominees embrace a film through which he has a starring position.

The Voice of Hind Rajab, a movie a few five-year-old Palestinian lady killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024, has been nominated for greatest worldwide characteristic movie.

Malhees, who performs the position of a name heart operator trying to assist the lady, mentioned he can’t attend the Academy Awards present, often called the Oscars, as a result of he has been barred from getting into the US.

“I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” Malhees mentioned on Instagram, including “it hurts” he wouldn’t attend the Oscars.

In a December proclamation proscribing entry of overseas nationals, Trump mentioned as president he had “determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority”.

The proclamation proscribing entry of individuals from some nations cited safety causes and went into impact on 1 January, in keeping with the US state division’s web site.

The state division didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The film was spurred by an incident through which 5 of Rajab’s members of the family and two ambulance employees who went to avoid wasting her had been additionally killed by Israeli fireplace. Israel says the incident is underneath evaluation.

Malhees says the movie’s different Palestinian solid members have citizenship that permits US journey – however he solely holds a Palestinian passport.

Trump has additionally tried to deport overseas pro-Palestinian voices from the United States. On Friday, an immigration choose ordered the discharge of Leqaa Kordia, who misplaced greater than 170 members of the family in Gaza and has been detained for a yr. Two earlier orders haven’t led to her launch.