Disney had to enhance Gal Gadot's security for this reason
What's the story
The journey of the live-action Snow White hasn't been smooth. Now, more production-level hiccups have come up.
Disney reportedly had to up security for Gal Gadot, the star of their latest tentpole.
The move came after a deluge of death threats against Gadot for her pro-Israeli comments amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The threats spiked after Gadot's co-star, Rachel Zegler, openly supported Palestine while promoting the live-action musical last year.
Co-star controversy
Zegler's pro-Palestine stance led to increased threats
In August 2024, Zegler thanked fans on social media for the success of the first Snow White promo, which received 120 million views in 24 hours. She ended her post with "and always remember, free Palestine."
This, reportedly, sparked a wave of hate toward Gadot.
An insider told Variety that Zegler "didn't understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone."
Thereafter, Disney had to pay for Gadot's additional security.
Gadot's stance
Gadot's pro-Israel comments sparked controversy
Gadot, famously known for her role in Wonder Woman, has been outspoken about her support for Israel.
In October 2023, she took to Instagram to voice her stance after Hamas launched a deadly attack at the Nova Music Festival.
"I stand with Israel; you should too," she said, calling on the world to not be indifferent to "horrific acts of terror."
Gadot doubled down on this in an interview with Variety earlier this month.
Stance defense
'I could not be silent'
Gadot defended her decision to stand by Israel, despite protests at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
She told Variety, "There is a challenge for people to speak on social media because there is so much hate going on and so many bots and so many angry people that are looking for a cause."
"But on October 7, when people were abducted from their homes...I could not be silent."
Aftermath
Meanwhile, Disney paid for Zegler's social media guru
On the other hand, Zegler reportedly refused to take down her pro-Palestine post and continued to voice her opinions on social media sites (including the famous "F*ck Donald Trump" post on Instagram).
This worried top bosses at Disney because such clear political standpoints can affect the viewership numbers of the film. Following this, Variety reported, the conglomerate appointed a social media guru for the 23-year-old.
While the movie failed at the box office, Zegler's performance has been mostly appreciated.