Once upon a time, there lived two actresses named Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. One (Rachel) was playing Snow White in the Disney live-action remake of “Snow White,” and the other (Gal) was playing the Evil Queen in the movie. All was well with them (presumably) but then, a potential celebrity feud struck the kingdom with plenty of subtweeting, Zionist and anti-Zionist discourse and a potential boycott.
So what on Earth is going on with the “Snow White” remake and its leading ladies? Let’s get into it.
OK, first: What happened?!
On August 10, Disney released the trailer for the live-action “Snow White,” starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. It was received rather negatively, with many hateful comments criticizing Rachel Zegler’s appearance or criticizing Gal Gadot, who is Israeli and Jewish, for supporting Israel.
On the same day, Rachel shared the trailer on her own social media channels. Two days later, she took to Twitter to thank her followers for watching the trailer and sending her support. Then, in a follow-up tweet, she said, “and always remember, free palestine.”
It’s unclear whether Zegler shared this sentiment as a dig at co-star Gal Gadot or just because of her own beliefs about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Just a few days earlier, Zegler and Gadot were seen together at the D23 Disney Fan Event promoting “Snow White” and acting cordially with one another.
Regardless, Zegler’s comment sparked outrage among those who support Israel. In response, some folks online (like the controversial Twitter account @StopAntisemitism) called Rachel antisemitic and said they would not watch “Snow White.”
At the same time, some pro-Palestinian voices online were already calling for a boycott of “Snow White” because of Gal Gadot.
Wait, I live under a rock. Who is Rachel Zegler?
Rachel Zegler is a 23-year-old actress who got her big break playing Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaption of “West Side Story.” Since then, she’s played Lucy Gray Baird in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” and is slated to make her Broadway debut as Juliet in “Romeo & Juliet.” Despite her Ashkenazi-sounding name, she is not Jewish.
Wait, a woman named Rachel Zegler is not Jewish?
Correct, Rachel Zegler is not Jewish.
OK, so Rachel Zegler takes a pro-Palestinian stance?
Yes. In the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Zegler has publicly taken a pro-Palestinian stance since 2021. “it will always be free palestine,” she tweeted on May 16, 2021 in the midst of the 2021 Gaza War. She has publicly called for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War and urged her followers to call their representatives. “Have you donated today? Have you called your government leaders to put pressure on world leaders to call for a ceasefire? Your activism should go beyond your social media,” she wrote in an Instagram story on January 28, 2024. The story also included a link to donate to emergency aid for Gaza.
And who is Gal Gadot?
Gal Gadot is a 39-year-old Israeli Jewish actress. She got her big break playing Wonder Woman in the movie “Wonder Woman” as well as a slew of other DC Comics movies. She’s also known for playing Linnet Ridgeway in the 2022 adaption of “Death on the Nile” and ex-Mossad agent Gisele Yashar in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. At 20 years old, Gadot was conscripted into IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) for two years of mandatory service. She served as a combat fitness instructor.
And Gal Gadot takes a pro-Israel stance?
Yes. In the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Gal Gadot takes a pro-Israel stance. (Unsurprising given that she is, you know, Israeli.) During the 2014 Gaza War, she posted a photo on Facebook of her daughter and herself praying for Israeli soldiers. “I am sending my love and prayers to my fellow Israeli citizens,” she wrote in the post. “Especially to all the boys and girls who are risking their lives protecting my country against the horrific acts conducted by Hamas, who are hiding like cowards behind women and children…We shall overcome!!! Shabbat Shalom! #weareright #freegazafromhamas #stopterror #coexistance #loveidf”
In 2021, she tweeted a message of co-existence during the Israel-Palestine crisis. “My heart breaks. My country is at war. I worry for my family, my friends. I worry for my people,” she wrote on Twitter. “This is a vicious cycle that has been going on for far too long. Israel deserves to live as a free and safe nation. Our neighbors deserve the same. I pray for the victims and their families, I pray for this unimaginable hostility to end, I pray for our leaders to find the solution so we could live side by side in peace. I pray for better days.”
Immediately following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, Gal posted her support of Israel once again on Instagram. “I stand with Israel and you should too. The world cannot sit on the fence when these horrific acts of terror are happening,” she wrote. Additionally, Gadot has repeatedly called for the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, including signing an open letter to Joe Biden about the situation, and organized a screening of the movie “Bearing Witness.” The movie contains raw footage of the violence on October 7, compiled by the IDF Spokeperson’s Unit from body cameras worn by Hamas militants.
Got it. So… elephant in the room… is “Free Palestine” an antisemitic phrase?
Oof. How much time do you have?
So right up top, let’s remember that, even amongst Jews, there is sometimes no clear consensus on whether or not something is antisemitic.
The phrase “Free Palestine” is a good example of this. Some say that “Free Palestine” is an injunction to kill and/or displace all Jews between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Others say that it is a call for the Palestinian people to be treated equally. The first example is clearly antisemitic and the second is not. Complicating matters is the fact that not everyone means the same thing when they say “Free Palestine.”
So, without the ability to get into Rachel Zegler’s head, it’s kind of impossible to determine what her understanding of “Free Palestine” is and whether she was directing that sentiment at Gal Gadot. But, in general, if you need a good point of reference for whether or not criticizing Israel is veering into antisemitism, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I utilizing any antisemitic tropes, like that Jews are greedy and power hungry, that Jews are conspiring to eliminate non-Jewish peoples, or that Jews have hypnotized the media?
- Am I criticizing a specific policy or demonizing the existence of any Jewish state in principle?
- Am I conflating the actions and character of individual Jews or Israelis with the actions of the Israeli government?
For more information, head on over to Hey Alma’s Guide to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
OK. And what was Gal’s response to Rachel’s comment?
At time of publication, neither Gal Gadot nor Rachel Zegler have commented publicly about any potential feud. However, after the release of the “Snow White” trailer, Gal posted on her Instagram story a photo of Martin Luther King Jr. with his quotation, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Above the image, she wrote, “Only love can save the world.” It’s unclear whether Gal was specifically referring to Rachel’s comment, negative comments about her posted under the trailer, both or neither.
On Thursday, August 15, Gal Gadot’s Twitter account added a bit more drama to the mix. According to Times of Israel reporter Amy Spiro, whomever is in charge of Gal’s Twitter account briefly retweeted a tweet which ambiguously criticized Rachel Zegler:
It’s unclear whether Gal runs her own social media account or if it’s run by a PR professional, whether whomever is running it meant to retweet this sentiment or if they retweeted it accidentally, or if it was retweeted without Gal’s knowledge. So, basically, who’s to say whether this tweet reflects how Gal Gadot feels about Rachel Zegler.
Has there been any other controversy surrounding the “Snow White” remake?
Somehow, yes. But I don’t really have time to get into that, plus that controversy isn’t really Jewish. You can read all about it here.
Last question: Do you think Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot will live happily ever after on their press tour? Or will it be a disaster?
Patience, my child. Only time will tell.
