Disney’s live-action “Snow White” remake took another hit this week after Lebanon banned it from screening in the country as the film’s star, Gal Gadot, is Israeli and an activist on behalf of her country.
Variety reported Wednesday that Lebanon’s Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar made the decision to have the film pulled at the behest of a Lebanese film and media watchdog.
A representative for Italia films, a Middle East company that distributes Disney films throughout the region, confirmed to the outlet that Gadot is on the country’s “Israel boycott list,” and said that any film she has starred in has never been released in the country. Israel has also been conducting airstrikes on Hezbollah forces in the country.
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The news represents another setback for the film that had a dismal opening weekend last month. After earning only $43 million domestically, the film dropped out of the No. 1 spot in its second weekend after earning just $14.2 million domestically, according to Variety — a 66% decline from its opening weekend.
Gadot, who played the evil queen in the film, was born in Israel and served in the Israeli Defense Forces before moving to the United States to begin her Hollywood career.
She has become a prominent activist for her home country following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack and the wave of antisemitism that has risen across the globe in its wake.
In an interview with Variety in March, Gadot marveled at the wave of “hate” for Israel since the attack, and mentioned it moved her to defend her country.
“I was shocked by the amount of hate, by the amount of how much people think they know when they actually have no idea, and also by how the media is not fair many times,” she said. “So I had to speak up.”
During her Walk of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles later that month, Gadot encouraged others to speak out in defense of Israel and the Jewish people.
“But this is a time when many of us in the Jewish community have had to find our voice and confront the hatred against us, even if it’s extremely uncomfortable,” she said. “Even if speaking up wasn’t really your thing, none of us can ignore the explosion of Jew hatred around the world anymore.”
Anti-Israel protesters clashed with pro-Israel demonstrators near the ceremony, threatening to disrupt the event and resulting in multiple arrests.
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Gadot also spearheaded a Hollywood screening of 47 minutes of Israeli Defense Forces footage of the atrocities committed on Oct. 7 one month after the attack. On the day of the attack, she wrote on social media, “I stand with Israel, you should too,” and condemned the barbaric terrorist act.
Gadot’s pro-Israel stance was also rumored to have caused friction between her and Zegler, who generated controversy for the film by sharing, “And always remember, free Palestine,” on X in August.
Variety also reported that Lebanese censors also blocked the country’s release of “Captain America: Brave New World” in February because the film’s actress Shira Haas is Israeli as well.
Gadot’s reps did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
