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Gal Gadot believes backlash to her reluctance to “speak out against Israel” was a contributing factor to the box office disappointment of Disney’s live-action Snow White remake.
The actress, who played the Evil Queen, shared this perspective on the Israeli TV program The A Talks, where guests are interviewed by individuals on the autism spectrum.
According to a translation by The Jerusalem Post, Gadot was asked if she was disappointed or angry about Snow White being “a major flop.” After stating she “really enjoyed” filming the movie alongside co-star Rachel Zegler, she explained why she thought it wasn’t the “huge success” she had anticipated.
“Then October 7 happened, and what’s happening in all kinds of industries, and also in Hollywood, is that there’s a lot of pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel,” Gadot said. “You can always explain and try to give people in the world a context about what’s happening and what the reality is here, but in the end, people decide for themselves.”
She added, “I was disappointed that the movie was greatly affected by that and didn’t do well at the box office. But that’s how it goes. You win some, you lose some.”
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched 4,300 rockets into Israel. These attacks killed 1,200 people and resulted in 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers being taken hostage. One year after the attack, Gadot gave a speech at the Anti-Defamation League (via The Independent), in which she condemned those “around the world” who were celebrating, justifying, and cheering on a massacre of Jews.”
This vocal stance led to boycott calls from pro-Palestinian voices and stood in stark contrast to Zegler’s social media support for Palestine. As of July 2025, the death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has surpassed 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
But this was just one of several controversies and criticisms surrounding the movie, including its reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs as “magical creatures.” Snow White received poor-to-middling reviews and opened to $42.2 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend. It made a total of $87.2 million in the US and Canada, with a worldwide total of $205.7 million against a reported production cost of over $250 million.
On Sunday, August 17th (via Variety), Gadot clarified her comments in an Instagram Story, writing that her answer came “from an emotional place” and “the film didn’t fail solely because of external pressures.”
“When the film came out, I felt that those who are against Israel criticized me in a very personal, almost visceral way,” she continued. “They saw me first and foremost as an Israeli, not as an actress… Of course, the film didn’t fail solely because of external pressures. There are many factors that determine why a film succeeds or fails, and success is never guaranteed.”
English (US) · 