Gal Gadot Blames Politics for 'Snow White' Box Office Flop

Gal Gadot Speaks Out on Disney’s 'Snow White' Box Office Disappointment

Gal Gadot, the 40-year-old actress best known for her role as Wonder Woman, has recently spoken out about the box office failure of Disney’s live-action remake of "Snow White." In a new interview in Israel that has gone viral, she pointed to anti-Israel sentiment as a key factor in the film's poor performance. The movie, which featured Gadot as the Evil Queen, faced a catastrophic reception at the box office, leading to widespread speculation about the reasons behind its failure.

Gadot expressed her surprise at the film's underperformance, stating that it was significantly impacted by the events following the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza. She suggested that public sentiment shifted, creating an environment where celebrities felt pressured to take sides against Israel. "I was sure this movie was going to be a huge hit. And then…it happened," she said, referring to the conflict. "And you know, this happens a lot in various industries, including Hollywood. There’s pressure on celebrities to speak against Israel," she added.

As a former soldier in the Israel Defense Forces and a long-time advocate for her country, Gadot explained that she felt audiences judged her more as an Israeli than as an actress. While she admitted to being disappointed by the film's outcome, she concluded with a pragmatic outlook: "You win some, you lose some."

Controversies Surrounding Rachel Zegler

While Gadot has linked the film's failure to geopolitical tensions, "Snow White" was already facing controversy long before its release. Central to these issues was Rachel Zegler, who played the title character. Zegler drew criticism for her public remarks, including negative comments about the original 1937 Disney classic and political statements such as a "free Palestine" post on social media. She also gained attention for a viral message wishing Trump voters would "never know peace."

The casting of Zegler also sparked backlash, with critics pointing out that she did not fit the traditional description of Snow White as having "skin as white as snow." Additionally, Jonah Platt, son of producer Marc Platt, publicly criticized Zegler, revealing that his father flew cross-country to reprimand her for bringing personal politics into the promotional tour.

Another major issue involved the dwarfs in the film. Disney initially decided to scrap the original seven characters after Peter Dinklage criticized their portrayal but later brought them back as CGI characters.

Denying a Feud with Rachel Zegler

Whispers of a behind-the-scenes feud between Gadot and Zegler fueled headlines last year, allegedly stemming from their differing views on Israel and Palestine. During her interview, Gadot addressed the rumors when an audience member joked, “Especially when it wasn’t with Rachel Zegler.” She quickly responded, “I even enjoyed working with Rachel Zegler. I laughed, talked and had fun.”

Later, she clarified her comments on Instagram Stories, emphasizing that she had spoken from an emotional place. She acknowledged that the film’s failure was not solely due to external pressures, stating, “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.”

Despite early optimism and even receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during the movie’s promotional push, "Snow White" ended up being one of Disney’s biggest flops in recent years. Forbes estimated the film lost more than $115 million by the end of its theatrical run.

Production Challenges Exacerbated the Problem

The film’s production was plagued with issues from the start. According to Variety, "Snow White" faced repeated delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a fire on set, and the 2023 Hollywood actors’ strike, which led to major scheduling disruptions. Test screenings reportedly generated negative feedback, forcing Disney to order expensive reshoots that increased the budget to a staggering $270 million.

Despite these efforts, the film failed to connect with audiences. A rival studio executive told the outlet, “You can’t say that a live-action remake of the most iconic film in the vault that cost [$270] million and has been reshot multiple times opening to $50 million is OK. The math does not work. That movie should be a billion-dollar movie.”

In reality, "Snow White" opened to just $43 million domestically, far below expectations. The film's struggles highlight the complex challenges of modern filmmaking, where both creative and external factors can influence a movie's success.