Others mockingly called her "Daal Gadot"
Priyanka Chopra Jonas found herself at the centre of an online debate during the 98th Academy Awards after appearing on stage alongside Javier Bardem as he voiced support for Palestine.
The pair presented the Oscar for Best International Feature Film during the ceremony.
As he began speaking, Javier opened with the words “No to war and free Palestine”, drawing loud applause from the audience.
The Spanish actor also wore two pins on his tuxedo lapel. One read “No to War”, while the other showed support for Palestine.
Standing beside him at the podium, Priyanka appeared to smile and nod as Javier delivered the statement.
The pair then continued presenting the nominees for the category.
Clips of the moment quickly circulated online, with many praising Javier for using the Oscars stage to voice a political message.
However, the online reaction also focused heavily on Priyanka.
Some social media users began calling the actress a “Zionist” for appearing to smile and nod while remaining silent herself.
One comment read: “Priyanka Chopra is a f***ing Zionist??? YIKES. Damn, these celebrities always surprise me.”
Another said: “Love how Javier said it in front of her ugly face.”
Others mockingly called her “Daal Gadot”, referencing Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who has openly voiced her support for her country amid its conflict with Palestine.
One user called Priyanka a “nobody” in Western society, commenting:
“Priyanka Chopra is a nobody in front of him in the West!!! She don’t matter to him to give her a poetic response!”
Several posts also referenced Priyanka’s long-standing humanitarian role with UNICEF.
She has worked with the organisation since 2006 and later became a global Goodwill Ambassador in 2016.
Some users questioned why Priyanka did not publicly address Javier’s statement or the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Others asked why she has not commented on the wider situation despite her humanitarian profile.
Meanwhile look at the expressions of our Daal Gadot next to him pic.twitter.com/96Wemu5yDj
— ??? ???? (@DiscourseDancer) March 16, 2026
On the other hand, fans came to her defence and said the comments were part of an unjustified hate campaign.
One person wrote:
“Calling Priyanka Chopra a Zionist. Y’all pulled this s*** out of your a**.”
“She has NEVER supported the genocide against Palestine. Can dumbf***s just do their research before jumping into b******t hate campaigns.”
Pointing out Priyanka’s past support for Palestine, another said:
“She openly supports Palestine, so I don’t get why everyone is reacting like this.”
The comments continued across social media as viewers analysed the brief on-stage exchange.
While Javier Bardem’s statement was widely applauded inside the theatre, online discussion quickly shifted towards Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her reaction during the moment.
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