Was ‘Snow White’ Set Up to Fail? Gal Gadot Blames Outside Pressure for Movie’s Box Office Struggles

Disney’s live-action Snow White, starring Rachel Zegler as the titular princess and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, has found itself mired in controversy long before its release. The film was met with backlash almost immediately, with critics questioning casting choices, the portrayal of the story, and the public statements made by its stars.

Despite the star power behind it, the movie failed to perform as expected, both critically and at the box office.

Related: Disney’s Cancelled ‘Snow White’ Has Officially Come Back to Life

Now, Gal Gadot is shedding light on a key factor she believes contributed to the film’s downfall: the pressure surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Snow White‘s journey to the big screen was anything but smooth. From the get-go, Zegler, who is of Polish and Colombian descent, faced harsh criticism for not fitting the traditional image of the character, with some questioning why she was cast as Snow White in the first place.

Adding to the controversy, Zegler voiced strong opinions about the original story, including her decision to make Snow White a more independent character, even going as far as to suggest the Prince could be unnecessary and calling him a “stalker.”

Related: Iconic Producer’s Son Attacks Rachel Zegler, Claims She’s Responsible for ‘Snow White’ Troubles

As if the racial and thematic criticisms weren’t enough, rumors of a feud between Zegler and Gadot further fueled the film’s negative publicity. At one point, Zegler took to social media to thank fans for their support, adding a “free Palestine” hashtag to her post.

This sparked a backlash due to Gadot’s ties to Israel, including her service in the Israeli Defense Forces. Speculation ran wild, with many questioning whether these political statements were the reason for the strained relationship between the two stars.

But while these controversies no doubt played a role in the film’s underperformance, Gadot herself is now speaking out about another crucial factor she believes had a significant impact: political pressure.

Related: Social Media Erupts Over Rachel Zegler’s Statements About Snow White’s Performance

In a new interview, Gadot addressed the external pressures that surrounded the film’s production and release.

“What’s happening in all kinds of industries and also in Hollywood, is that there’s a lot of pressure on celebrities to bring up things against Israel.

You can always explain and try to give people in the world a context about what’s happening [in Israel] and what the reality is here, but in the end people decide for themselves. I was disappointed that the movie was greatly affected by that and didn’t do well at the box office.”

Gal Gadot gave a big interview tonite on Israeli TV, on the pressure in Hollywood to speak out against Israel pic.twitter.com/fBNuLAmeFt

— Betar Worldwide (@Betar_USA) August 16, 2025

Despite Gadot’s assertion, Snow White’s reception was far from favorable. The film received a 38% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 70%. Financial analysts estimate that Disney lost upwards of $115 million on the project, making it one of the company’s most significant box office disappointments in recent years.

It was also reported that, due to the failure of Snow White, Disney paused plans for a live-action remake of Tangled (2010), further highlighting the far-reaching impact of the film’s underperformance.

While Gadot places significant blame on the political pressures tied to her Israeli background, it’s important to consider that Snow White was already facing internal struggles, from the initial casting criticisms to the overall reception of its revamped storyline.

What do you think contributed to Snow White‘s lack of success at the box office? Was it the controversies surrounding the stars, or do you agree with Gadot that external political pressures played a major role? Share your thoughts in the comments below.