Disney's live-action remake of Snow White has been banned in one of the Middle Eastern countries due to Gal Gadot's involvement.
Since its release last month, the film has been struggling as it has underperformed at the box office. It didn't help that the reception from critics and the audience has also been lukewarm.
Snow White Release Banned in Lebanon
Reports confirmed that the release of Snow White has been banned in Lebanon due to the presence of Israeli actress Gal Gadot.
It was ordered by Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar. His decision was prompted by Israel’s ongoing attacks on Hezbollah.
Beirut-based Middle East distributor Italia Films, which handles Disney titles in the region, also explained in a statement that Gadot has long been part of Lebanon’s “Israel boycott list." It means that no film that she stars in is allowed to be screened in theaters.
Gadot has long been outspoken in her support for her country, Israel, amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, especially in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas.
This is not the first time that a Disney movie was recently banned in the country, as it also happened with Captain America: Brave New World, which has Israeli actress Shira Haas as one of the cast members.
Snow White's PR Drama
Snow White has been under controversy before and after the release of the film last month.
Following the film's disappointing box office opening, Variety reported how Disney attempted to restrain Rachel Zegler's social media activities in the months leading up to the release of Snow White.
Aside from her pro-Palestine post that alerted Disney executives, there were also concerns regarding her posts on the US presidential election, where she slammed Donald Trump and his supporters.
Disney was alarmed as the post could alienate half of the potential audience in the country.
As a result, they paid for a social media guru to work with Zegler and vet her social media posts before the film's release.
There were also rumors that Zegler and Gadot had a feud, although the Variety report claimed that they got along during the shooting of the movie, and things only went awkward during the run-up to the release.
What do you think of the film getting banned in Lebanon? Let us know in the comments!
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