Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) – Palestinian actor Motaz Maris said on Friday that a travel ban imposed by the Trump administration prevented him from attending this weekend’s Oscars, where a film starring him is among the nominees.
“The Voice,” which tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024, has been nominated for an Oscar for best international feature film.
Maris plays a call center operator who tries to help her, saying he can’t attend the Oscars because he’s banned from entering the United States.
“I am not allowed into the United States due to my Palestinian citizenship,” Maris wrote on Instagram, adding that he was “heartbroken” not to attend the Oscars.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a December proclamation restricting the entry of foreigners, US President Donald Trump said he had “decided to comprehensively limit and restrict the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or recognized by the Palestinian Authority”.
Announcements restricting the entry of people from certain countries were cited for security reasons.
The film was inspired by the fact that five members of Rajab’s family and two ambulance crews who went to rescue her were also killed by Israeli fire. Israel said the incident was under review.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sergio Non and Stephen Coates)