Gal Gadot has addressed her previous statements regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s influence on the box office performance of her movie, *Snow White*.
“I was honored to join an extraordinary interview with inspiring interviewers, whose questions go straight to the heart. Sometimes we respond to questions from an emotional place,” Gadot, 40, shared via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, August 17th. “When the film came out, I felt that those who are against Israel criticized me in a very personal, almost visceral way.”
She added, “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.”
Gadot, who is from Israel, portrayed the Evil Queen in the live-action adaptation of *Snow White*, alongside Rachel Zegler as the titular character. The film premiered in March but significantly underperformed compared to its $200 million budget.
The discussion arose after Gadot appeared on *The A Talks*, broadcast on Israel’s Channel Keshet 12 network, where she was asked about why the film was considered a “major flop.”
“I was sure that this movie was going to be a huge success, and then October 7 happened,” Gadot told reporters, according to *The Jerusalem Post*, referring to the Hamas attack in 2023. “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 clarified that external pressures were not the sole reason for the film’s underwhelming reception. “Of course, the film didn’t fail solely because of external pressures,” she stated. “There are many factors that determine why a film succeeds or fails. Success is never guaranteed.”
During her original interview, Gadot also highlighted the positive experience of filming. “First of all, I have to say that I really enjoyed filming this movie,” she said at the time. “I even enjoyed working with Rachel Zegler. We laughed, we talked and it was fun.”
It’s worth noting that *Snow White* had previously faced criticism for deviating from the original source material and for Rachel Zegler’s portrayal of a Latinx Snow White. Zegler herself addressed this backlash, stating, “I interpret people’s sentiments towards this film as passion. What an honor to be a part of something that people feel so passionately about. We’re not always going to agree with everyone who surrounds us and all we can do is our best.”