From the arts to politics:

Translated by Silvia Toro

From the arts to politics: Hollywood’s symbolic language used at the 2026 Oscars became a silent criticism of Trump's USA

Today, Hollywood whispers. But it does so in front of millions of viewers. The 2026 Oscars marked a clear turning point: the American artistic elite does not shy away from politics, but transforms it into a symbol, a subtext, a refined—and at times provocative—language.
From art to politics, without ever openly crossing the line.

And yet, that line was everywhere.

The unspoken speaks louder

During the ceremony—described by some as one of the most political Oscars ever—one element stood out more than any other: absence.
President Donald Trump’s name was hardly ever mentioned. Yet it hung in the air during every speech.

In his opening monologue, the host Conan O’Brien
blended satire and current events,
hitting not only at Hollywood itself, but also at the political and media climate in the United States. He joked about freedom of expression, digital platforms, and the cultural industry, ironically calling himself “the last human host” in a world dominated by technology and cultural control.

The victory of the most important prize of the evening made the political side of the evening even more clear: The Oscar for the Best Picture went to One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Is not a neutral choice. The movie was defined as an action comedy with a deep political side, capable of reflecting on power, authority and social conflict. Its narrative, which draws inspiration from dynamics of control and militarization, has been interpreted as a mirror of contemporary America, a nation riven by tensions and divisions.

The victory is not merely artistic: it is symbolic. Awarding this film means recognizing and legitimizing a certain type of political narrative, one that relies not on slogans but on narrative structures.

No direct attacks, no invective. But it is precisely this choice that has made the message even more powerful. It is the language of the contemporary cultural elite: not to shout, but to insinuate. Don’t accuse, but evoke. The absence of Sean Penn, winner of the Best Supporting Actor award, which he never accepted because he was travelling to Ukraine.

Pins, ever-present and increasingly becoming the protagonists of a silent political statement—from doves to the red pins of Artists4Ceasefire, to “ICE Out” badges, all the way to Javier Bardem’s “No to War” (who has also worn the Palestinian keffiyeh on multiple occasions)—Hollywood transforms small details into global messages against conflict, immigration policies, and international tensions.

Hollywood and Its Strategy

This isn’t the first time Hollywood has taken a stand. But it is perhaps the first time it has done so with such stylistic awareness. While direct discourse and explicit stances dominated during Trump’s first term, today’s strategy is different.

The American artistic elite seems to have realized that, in an era of extreme polarization, the most effective—and also the safest—message is one that cannot be easily attacked. Symbolism thus becomes a form of protection and, at the same time, of sophisticated communication.

From cinema to sports: symbolism takes over the Super Bowl

This transformation isn’t limited to cinema. Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl halftime show also displayed similar—and even more explicit—signs.

The halftime show, watched by hundreds of millions of people, became another space for symbolic expression.

Choreography, set design choices, and visual references were interpreted as messages related to civil rights, identity, and social tensions in the United States. No explicit slogans, except for love as a tool to combat hate, but a narrative constructed through images. A protest that does not declare itself as such, yet still manages to be clearly recognized and to resonate deeply.

An Industry That Speaks in Metaphors

The shift currently underway reveals something deeper: the U.S. entertainment industry is redefining its role. Sharp-tongued and not always explicit, it sets out to denounce—in some cases without taking a fully partisan stance.

But this choice is not neutral. It is a clear stance: speaking to a global audience without fully exposing itself to internal American conflict.

This choice is obviously not without harsh criticism.

The criticisms, especially from Gen Z, speak of hypocrisy and the need to take a much clearer stance in a world increasingly in crisis and increasingly witnessing tragedies and genocides.
For many, pins aren’t enough; concrete actions and stances are needed. This is especially demanded of those, like the artistic elite, who have all the economic power to support them.

The Reaction of Trump’s America

On the other hand, Trump supporters are watching with growing suspicion. For many, Hollywood represents a distant, self-absorbed elite incapable of understanding “real America.”

In conservative media and on social media, the 2026 Oscars have been described as predictable, ideological, even elitist. Rather than easing tensions, symbolic language is often interpreted as a form of hypocrisy: a way to engage in politics without openly taking responsibility for it. This stands in stark contrast to the policies of Donald Trump, who has always been very explicit about his positions.

Yet the relationship is more complex than it seems. Even part of the conservative audience continues to consume mainstream cultural products, demonstrating that the link between entertainment and politics is far from being straightforward.

The Future: An Increasingly Subtle Protest

The 2026 Oscars and the Super Bowl tell the same story: that of a divided America, where even entertainment becomes a battleground. But they also tell a story of evolution. Protest isn’t disappearing. It’s transforming. It becomes visual language, narrative choice, symbolic construction. It becomes, in a word, art. And precisely for this reason, perhaps, even harder to ignore.
Because today, Hollywood no longer shouts against power.
It stages it, and perhaps, in a world so divided and in turmoil, that isn’t enough.

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