White Lotus star ignores prompter and points foul-mouthed rebuke of ICE at awards present
Natasha Rothwell disregarded the teleprompter at the Independent Spirit Awards and unleashed a blunt, foul-mouthed rebuke of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The White Lotus star delivered one of the most politically charged moments of the night just weeks after artists including Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Dean used their acceptance speeches at the Grammy Awards to directly address immigration enforcement and immigrant identity.
Rothwell went off script while presenting an award, pausing mid-presentation to deliver an unscripted line.
‘I’m gonna go to the prompter, but I just want to say, ‘F*** ICE,’ Rothwell said from the stage, making clear she was deliberately stepping outside the prepared script.
Her comment, delivered in front of a packed audience was the most direct and confrontational political statement of the evening.
Her outburst underscores how immigration enforcement has become a flashpoint issue throughout this year’s awards season.
Rothwell was not alone in signaling her opposition.
She was joined by fellow actors including Tessa Thompson, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon, and Lake Bell, all of whom wore ‘ICE OUT’ pins during the ceremony to protest against federal immigration enforcement policies.
Natasha Rothwell went off script at the Independent Spirit Awards and declared, ‘F*** ICE,’ while presenting on stage
Natasha, 45, starred in two seasons of the award-winning series The White Lotus as resort spa manager Belinda Lindsey – landing two Emmy nods for the role, pictured
The backlash against ICE has intensified in the entertainment industry following a series of controversial incidents involving federal agents, including the January killings of American citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
The events have reverberated through Hollywood, casting a shadow over celebrations and prompting stars to use major platforms to speak out.
For some actors, the emotional toll has made awards season feel deeply conflicted.
Wunmi Mosaku, nominated this year for her performance in Sinners, told The Times . that the unfolding events had overshadowed what should have been a career milestone.
‘I’ve not been able to celebrate because of what’s going on right now, with the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minnesota,’ Mosaku said.
She added that the emotional contradiction between professional success and national turmoil had been overwhelming.
‘It’s difficult to hold both the nomination and the news because one feels beautiful and one is so dark and heavy; truly dystopian – how can I possibly go out and buy some drinks and enjoy the moment?’ she said.
