In an age where decades-long careers can be destroyed within minutes for a slip of the tongue or an old Tweet, we’re surprised that Gal Gadot still manages to remain booked and busy. Given her reputation of being problematic—if not outright controversial—one can only wonder how and why the 39-year-old still continues to hold such a prominent place in the silver screen industry after so many years spent stirring public and professional storms.
Taking on the lead role in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of Snow White as the Evil Queen, Gadot’s career trajectory seems to suggest that in Hollywood, speaking in support of a colonial power and defending an apartheid state can be overlooked as long as star-power and marketability remain strong enough to keep you in the spotlight. And although we’re no strangers to the existence of double standards, in this case, they seem to have reached an entire new level thanks to selective tolerance, bankability, and the relentless pursuit of profits.
Once upon a time, before Oct. 7, Gadot’s reputation was already tarnished by her more-than-just contentious stances on Palestine. In the last 10-months where, according to several news agencies, over 40,000 individuals in the Gaza Strip have been killed, things don’t seem to have changed. In fact, they only appear to have gotten worse.
Gadot’s repeated controversies, characterized by a persistent avoidance to address the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding, is apparently leaving most of those involved in the cinema industry unbothered when many, on the other hand, who have dared to speak up against the Israeli regime, have been met with backlash or severe professional repercussions. Examples of the latter are countless, and extend beyond the borders of our region.
Think of 34-year-old Mexican actress Melissa Barrera who was removed from her role in the upcoming installment of the Scream franchise after posting several Stories criticizing the Occupation on her official Instagram account. At the time, her expressed concern for the people of Palestine was reportedly sufficient to lead to the termination of her contract on the grounds of alleged anti-semitism. Oscar-winning American actress Susan Saradon suffered the same fate as she was removed from the roster of her talent agency UTA following a speech she delivered at a pro-Palestinian rally.
As unfair and hypocritical as it may seem, we’d like to make things right by politely reaching out to those who may want to cast Gadot in the future—from filmmakers, directors, and scriptwriters—to remind them that the industry’s inconsistent moral compass could use some recalibration. And we’re here to point it in the right direction.
Below, five reasons why Gadot’s actions should have gotten her canceled already.
She served in the IDF
While compulsory service is required for all Israeli citizens, serving in an army currently involved in a genocidal campaign just isn’t a good look really, is it? Although many have had to do it, reluctantly, we still think that there’s a significant difference between doing something out of obligation and proudly sharing it online as the highlight of your life. That said, if we’re being totally honest, having been in any country’s army and having learnt how to use a weapon to kill is just the ultimate ick…
She’s unapologetically pro-Israeli
Human beings don’t choose where they’re born or the circumstances in which they live, but how they respond to these conditions and the choices they make within that framework are entirely their own. In Gadot’s case, rather than speaking out against her country’s actions, she has opted to support them unconditionally. Given the amount of human rights Israel has violated over the past several decades, and considering her self-labeling as an activist, her stance simply falls short. She could, and undeniably should, be doing much more to align her actions with her professed values— especially when taking the current stream of news into account.
She’s tone deaf
Rest in peace Dr. Hawking. Now you’re free of any physical constraints.. Your brilliance and wisdom will be cherished forever ✨ pic.twitter.com/EQzSxqNTuN
— Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) March 14, 2018
Out of the myriad of times she’s taken the stage to speak up and say something worthy of her audience’s time, this one makes our top three. At the time of Stephen Hawking’s passing in 2018, the 39-year-old crafted a Tweet that couldn’t be anymore tone-deaf. Writing that now he’s gone, he’s finally free of his “physical constraints” when he’s dedicated his lifetime proving that none of his health issues ever played into how his intellect worked is beyond disappointing.
Another spectacularly tone-deaf moment came when she organized a screening of Hamas’ actions in LA. Displaying graphic violence to justify Israel’s actions in Gaza—actions widely criticized as unlawful and genocidal—is the kind of advocacy you’d expect from a child playing politics, not someone of her age and maturity. What was she thinking? Did she miss the memo that subtlety and sensitivity are not just optional?
Her casting choices are problematic
While she promotes women’s strength on screen, her silence on the plight of those living under Israel’s apartheid system is at odds with her activist image, highlighting a huge disconnect between what she professes and what she does. A few years ago, Gadot was selected to portray Wonder Woman. Using her role as a way to empower women around the world, her support in this matter raises questions about the consistency of her advocacy as she has turned a blind eye, on multiple occasions, to the suffering of the women of Palestine who have to face Israel’s sectarian policies and repulsive actions.
What’s more, her casting in Kari Skogland’s Cleopatra is also problematic. Given her service in the Israeli army, which once occupied Egyptian territory in Sinai, doesn’t the choice feel a tad wrong? To pick a white woman to portray a non-Arab woman is also worrying, as it not only perpetuates historical inaccuracies but also excludes opportunities for actresses from marginalized backgrounds.
Her previous films flopped
Objectively, her films suck– they don’t perform well in the box office and their ratings are also not very good. Death On The Nile, based on Agatha Christie’s murder mystery novel of the same name, was “simultaneously both boring and irritating,” according to a Mashable critic and received a whopping (not) 6.3/10 on IMDb. The more recent Shazam! Fury of the Gods has a Rotten Tomato score of 49%.
