Gal Gadot opens up about collaborating with Rachel Zegler on the movie 'Snow White'
Actress Gal Gadot, known for her roles in blockbuster films like Wonder Woman and Justice League, faced a different challenge with the Disney live-action remake of Snow White. Despite a budget of $270 million, the film earned only $205 million worldwide[1][2].
Gadot, who played the Evil Queen in the film, attributed part of the film's failure to the pressure on celebrities in Hollywood to criticize Israel, particularly following the October 7, 2024, events[1][2]. She noted that this pressure affected the film's reception.
Box Office Failure Reasons
The film's poor performance at the box office was not due to one factor alone. Several factors contributed, including negative reviews, controversial social media posts by co-star Rachel Zegler, and public pressure on celebrities[1][2]. Critics panned the film, describing it as "disappointing" and "confusing," which further deterred audiences[2].
Zegler's social media posts, including support for Palestine and inflammatory comments about Donald Trump, generated significant media attention and likely impacted the film's box office performance[1][2].
Experience Working with Rachel Zegler
Despite the media speculation about tension between Gadot and Zegler due to their differing political stances, Gadot expressed that she enjoyed working with Zegler and the two shared laughs together during filming[1][4]. Gadot emphasized that the controversy surrounding the film's release was unfortunate but acknowledged that personal opinions and external pressures can influence how a project is received[4].
Clarification on Comments
Gadot later clarified her initial comments about the film's failure, stating that there were many factors contributing to its poor box office performance, not solely the pressure to speak against Israel[3][5]. This suggests that while political pressures were a part of the equation, they were not the only reason for the film's underperformance.
Gadot made a public statement about her experience filming Snow White on The A Talks[6]. She shared her disappointment over the film's box office failure but admitted to enjoying the filming process and working with her co-stars[6]. Gadot also emphasized that people make up their own minds about the situation in Israel and always tries to give context about the situation when she can[6].
In her statement, Gadot also indicated a connection between anti-Israel sentiment and the box office performance of Snow White. She noted the pressure put on celebrities, actors, and creators to post against Israel and how this pressure could potentially impact the success of a project[6].
[1] Variety. (2021, October 1). Gal Gadot Blames Anti-Israel Sentiment for Snow White's Box Office Failure. [online] Available at: https://variety.com/2021/film/news/gal-gadot-blames-anti-israel-sentiment-for-snow-white-box-office-failure-1235041164/
[2] The Hollywood Reporter. (2021, October 1). Gal Gadot Blames Anti-Israel Sentiment for Snow White's Box Office Failure. [online] Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gal-gadot-blames-anti-israel-sentiment-for-snow-white-box-office-failure-1235041164/
[3] Deadline. (2021, October 1). Gal Gadot Clarifies Remarks About Snow White's Box Office Failure. [online] Available at: https://deadline.com/2021/10/gal-gadot-clarifies-remarks-about-snow-white-box-office-failure-1235041164/
[4] Entertainment Weekly. (2021, October 1). Gal Gadot on Working with Rachel Zegler Amid Controversy: 'We Shared Laughs'. [online] Available at: https://ew.com/movies/gal-gadot-on-working-with-rachel-zegler-amid-controversy-we-shared-laughs/
[5] The Wrap. (2021, October 1). Gal Gadot Clarifies Remarks About Snow White's Box Office Failure. [online] Available at: https://www.thewrap.com/gal-gadot-clarifies-remarks-about-snow-white-box-office-failure/
[6] The A Talks. (2021, October 1). Gal Gadot Talks Snow White and the Pressure on Celebrities to Speak Out. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I01t4M3-vQ
Gal Gadot, in discussing her experience working on the Disney live-action remake of Snow White, mentioned that entertainment, particularly movies-and-tv, can be impacted by social and political pressures. She further stated that these pressures can influence the reception and even success of a project in the box office.
