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Gal Gadot has spoken up about the headlines surrounding the remarks she made about Snow White's remake and its disappointing performance at the box office.
The actress, who played the Evil Queen opposite Rachel Zegler's Snow White, first suggested that the external pressures brought by the Israel-Palestine was part of the reason the film struggled commercially. Speaking on the Israeli program The A Talks, Gadot said, "I was sure that this movie was going to be a huge success, and then October 7 happened. 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."
She added, "You know, this happens a lot in various industries, including Hollywood. There's pressure on celebrities to speak against Israel. And, you know, it happened." Gadot went on to say, "I was disappointed that the movie was incredibly affected by all of that and that it didn't do well at the box office. But that's how it goes. You win some, you lose some."
In March when the live-action adaptation premiered, it grossed just $42 million domestically and around $100 million worldwide. This was far below expectations for a production with a reported $200 million budget.
The film had already faced scrutiny well before its release, with critics pointing to changes from the original story and debates over Rachel Zegler's casting, which was further amplified by her active political stance. Despite the controversy, Zegler expressed pride in being part of a project that generated such strong reactions.
Despite online speculation of tension between the co-stars, Gadot dismissed the claims. "First of all, I have to say that I really enjoyed filming this movie. I even enjoyed working with Rachel Zegler. We laughed, we talked and it was fun," she explained.
As her interview circulated widely, Gadot issued a clarification on Instagram. "Sometimes we respond to questions from an emotional place," she wrote on August 17. "When the film came out, I felt that those who are against Israel criticized me in a very personal, almost visceral way. They saw me, first and foremost, as an Israeli, not as an actress. That's the perspective I spoke from when I answered the question."
She said that politics were not the only reason for the film struggled. "Of course, the film didn't fail solely because of external pressures. There are many factors that determine why a film succeeds or fails. Success is never guaranteed."
