The Academy Awards courts controversy virtually every year, and this time it has been no different. One of the moments from the marquee awards ceremony that has sparked extensive discourse online is Priyanka Chopra's reaction to Javier Bardem's 'No To War, Free Palestine' speech.

The two actors came on to the stage to announce the Best International Feature winner at the Oscars 2026. However, Bardem appears to have taken Priyanka Chopra by surprise by making a call for peace and freedom for Palestine. The actor nodded and smiled as Bardem made the political statement.

Netizens have been criticising Priyanka vehemently for her reaction, which they argue is not enough from a celebrity of her stature, especially one who serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

The actor has participated in the broader discourse about the airstrikes in Gaza recently, with an 'All Eyes On Rafah' post on her Instagram Stories.

However, critics have long been arguing that this is not a direct public opinion from her and does not amount to a prominent voice on the geopolitical situation.

The actor's detractors brought up these points as they started to criticise her reaction to Javier Bardem's Oscar speech on Monday. Some of them sarcastically suggested that she 'deserves best actress' for her 'performance' at the Academy Awards. It has not gone down well with the actor's detractors that she has largely adopted a sense of perceived silence on these global issues.

Some of the detractors have also brought up Priyanka's former public support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, along with his party BJP, has faced criticism for their perceived Israel-leaning stance in the longstanding conflict between Israel and Palestine.

On the work front, Priyanka is set to comeback to Indian cinema with a role in SS Rajamouli's Varanasi.