The show featured young journalists on the autism spectrum, and Gadot told them: “I think I’m solid, I’m alright. There are those who are more talented than me. But if you cast me, you cast well. My biggest strength is that I am not afraid to work hard and that I never let anything stand in my way. I just go, go, go.”
Earlier, Gadot sparked international discussion by claiming that pressure on Hollywood stars to “speak out against Israel” contributed to the commercial underperformance of Snow White, in which she played the Evil Queen. She said she had enjoyed filming and was confident the movie would be successful, but after October 7, she felt outside pressures affected its box office results.
Gadot later clarified on Instagram that her comments were made from an “emotional place” and were not meant to suggest the film’s failure was solely due to external factors. She also denied any feud with co-star Rachel Zegler, who has publicly expressed support for Palestine, stating they had fun working together on set.
Snow White, which reportedly had a production budget of up to $270 million, earned $43 million in its opening weekend and totaled $205.6 million worldwide, falling far short of the estimated $540–$675 million needed to break even. Critics widely panned the film, with some specifically criticizing Gadot’s performance.
The upcoming Venice Film Festival is facing mounting pressure from activists and film professionals over its handling of the war in Gaza. More than 1,500 Italian filmmakers have signed a petition under the Venice4Palestine banner, urging the festival to take a stronger stance.
Campaigners demanded the removal of Hollywood stars Gerard Butler and Gal Gadot from the lineup, citing their public support for ‘Israel’.
A representative of Gadot claimed she was never officially scheduled to attend. Butler, however, is expected to appear for the premiere of In the Hand of Dante, which also stars Gadot, Oscar Isaac, and Al Pacino.
Organizers of an August 30 protest march in Venice say they aim to “denounce Israel’s genocide in Gaza” and accused the festival of silence on Palestinian suffering.
The Biennale has defended itself, pointing to films like The Voice of Hind Rajab in this year’s program, though activists dismissed the response as insufficient.
