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The controversies surrounding Disney’s live-action “Snow White” remake have eclipsed the film itself. From the moment the movie started casting its actors, it became embroiled in culture war debates and political scandals that were always going to divide audiences. Meanwhile, the film’s stars, Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, weren’t shy about expressing their political beliefs regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, which might have contributed to “Snow White” flopping at the box office.
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Zegler’s support for Palestine reportedly upset some executives at Disney, but it was Gadot’s association with Israel that got “Snow White” banned in Lebanon. As documented by Variety, Ahmad Al-Hajjar, the Lebanese interior and municipalities minister, was instrumental in stopping the Disney fairy tale from hitting theaters in the country. However, that outcome was probably going to happen regardless, as Gadot’s name is reportedly on a boycott list that prohibits all of her movies from being shown in the Middle-Eastern nation. “Wonder Woman” was also banned in Lebanon for the exact same reason.
Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the live-action fairy tale, previously served in the Israeli Defense Force and publicly condemned Hamas in the lead up to the release of “Snow White.” Lebanon, meanwhile, has its own issues with Israel due to the attacks in the Hezbollah region. Needless to say, Gadot’s association with “Snow White” is a prickly talking point — and it’s allegedly affected her personal life as well.
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Disney had to provide security for Gal Gadot ahead of Snow White’s release
As previously mentioned, Rachel Zegler voiced her support of Palestine in the ongoing war with Israel during the press cycle for “Snow White.” The folks at Disney were reportedly angered by her social media posts, fearing that they would hamper the film’s box office chances due to the polarizing nature of the real-world issue.
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Not only that, but it was also reported that the House of Mouse was forced to increase Gal Gadot’s security in the wake of Zegler’s comments. In short, Gadot received death threats due to her support for Israel, with the ensuing drama bringing out some of the more troubling corners of the Disney fandom. Afterward, Zegler — at Disney’s behest — began working with a social media manager to prevent more scandals from erupting.
At the end of the day, the “Snow White” remake is a moderately entertaining family movie whose myriad of controversies are overblown. The filmmakers probably set out to make a piece of harmless entertainment the whole world could enjoy, but its ban in Lebanon indicates that citizens in that country will never see it. At the same time, the film’s political connotations — unintentional or not — were always going to upset some folks and harm its opportunities to succeed.
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“Snow White” is currently playing in theaters. Solana Token Creator
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