Gal Gadot blames Snow White flop on 'anti-Israel pressure'

Israeli actress Gal Gadot has blamed the failure of Disney's live-action remake of Snow White on "pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel".

The film, in which Gadot played the role of the Evil Queen, tanked at the box office and was poorly received by critics.

It grossed a mere $205.7 million worldwide, failing to make back its huge production budget, and garnered an average 38% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator site.

Critics highlighted its bland production choices, uneven tone, and hit-or-miss songs.

The film also suffered a wave of negative press in the months leading up to its release, with rumours of an on-set feud between Gadot and co-star Rachel Zegler and controversy over casting decisions.

Speaking in an interview, Gadot positioned the blame for the film's flop on anti-Israel sentiment.

"I was sure this movie was going to be a huge hit," she told Israeli an TV show.

"And then 7 October happened, and what happens – and it happens in all kinds of industries, including in Hollywood – is that a lot of pressure is put on celebrities and actors and creators to bring up things against Israel, and it happened," she said.

She continued: "I can always explain and try to give context about what's happening here. And I always do that. But in the end, people make their own decisions. And I was disappointed that the movie was incredibly affected by all of that and that it didn't do well at the box office."

The film faced boycott calls from pro-Palestine groups due to the involvement of Gadot, a staunch supporter of Israel and former soldier in the Israeli military.

She reportedly received death threats, resulting in Disney paying for tighter security for her and her family.

Zegler, 24, who played the film’s titular character, expressed support for Palestinians on social media, fuelling rumours of a feud with Gadot.