Gal Gadot Hit With Fresh Blow As Protests Rock Venice

Gal Gadot's big moment at the Venice Film Festival has taken a dramatic turn.

The "Wonder Woman" star was set to walk the red carpet for the premiere of her new movie "In The Hand of Dante," but she has now pulled out amid fierce backlash.

Activist groups have accused Gadot and her co-star Gerard Butler of showing support for Israel during its military campaign in Gaza, sparking calls for their boycott.

With protests planned and security already heightened, the festival is bracing for disruption before it even begins.

Pressure group Artists 4 Palestine has been at the forefront of the row, demanding that Venice organizers cancel invitations to Gadot, Butler, "and any artist and celebrity who publicly and actively supports genocide."

According to the Daily Mail, the growing outcry quickly put the festival in the spotlight, with fears that the actress's presence could become a "lightning rod" for protests against Israel.

Authorities have already moved to tighten security around the event. A "ring of steel" has been set up around the festival's main cinemas, with bag checks, body scanners, and strict security passes in place for all attendees.

Despite these measures, Venice Film Festival boss Alberto Barbera confirmed Gadot will not attend, though he defended the Biennale's commitment to freedom of expression.

"We are an Italian cultural institution, a place of openness and debate that does not censor anybody," he explained.

At the same time, Barbera addressed the broader context, adding, "The death of civilians and especially children who are victims – they are the collateral damage of a war nobody has been able to terminate yet."

While protest groups push for Gadot's exclusion, others have rallied in support of her.

Isabella De Monte, deputy head of the Foreign Affairs Department for Italy's Forza Italia party, condemned the calls for a boycott as unjust and discriminatory.

"A reckless protest, because in the eyes of those protesting, Gadot's only crime is being Israeli," she said.

De Monte praised Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco for refusing to bow to pressure from more than 1,500 artists who signed a boycott petition.

"Dialogue and a plurality of ideas are the main tools that culture deploys to overcome sectarianism," she stressed, insisting the Venice Film Festival "deserves respect."

The recent development comes months after Gal Gadot suffered another hit in her career, all thanks to the Disney movie "Snow White."

The live-action film premiered on March 15 and was expected to be a major hit. However, it was a major flop, amassing only $200 million on a production budget of $270 million.

Following the appalling stats, insiders revealed why the project was a big misfire. Turns out the 40-year-old wasn't to blame.

Insiders noted that Gadot's co-star, Rachel Zegler, caused the movie's downfall after she made some political remarks months before the movie's premiere.

According to sources, Disney executives were stunned by Zegler's actions.

"She didn't understand the repercussions of her actions as far as what that meant for the film, for Gal, for anyone," one insider told Variety.

The downfall of "Snow White," in which Gal Gadot played the Evil Queen, began on August 12, 2024, when Zegler made a political statement three days after introducing the film's first official trailer at Disney's D23 event.

The actress took to X to thank fans for their support and added, "and always remember, free Palestine."

The post garnered nearly 10 million views, almost four times the views of her initial promotional post for the trailer.

Zegler's statement sparked backlash against Disney for featuring Gadot, even igniting threats against the "Red Notice" star, who is Israeli.

Zegler made matters worse in November 2025, following Donald Trump's victory at the U.S. presidential elections.

"F-ck Donald Trump," she wrote on Instagram, adding, "May Trump supporters never know peace."

The 24-year-old's comments infuriated many fans, slashing the number of potential moviegoers in half.

Since "Snow White" premiered, Gadot has been open about her disappointment with the movie's underwhelming performance.

Earlier in August, she appeared on an Israeli talk show to talk about her time filming "Snow White" and the challenges the movie faced after its release.

"I really enjoyed filming that movie, I really had fun. Even working alongside Rachel Zegler. We laughed and we talked, we had fun," she said.

Gadot admitted she had been certain the project would succeed, but things changed in the wake of October 7th.

"There was a lot of pressure put on celebrities, actors, and creators to post against Israel. And it happe" ed," she explained.

The actress said she was disappointed the film "as "incredibly affe "ted" at the box office, but shrugged it off wi "h, "It is what it is, you win some, you lose s" me."