The Lebanese government bans new 'Snow White' because it stars Israeli actress Gal Gadot

The Lebanese government ordered this week to pull from theaters the new version of Snow White due to the participation of Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who has publicly defended her country amid the conflict with Hamas and Hezbollah. The decision was announced by Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar.

The move is part of a broader policy of boycotting productions linked to Israeli figures, especially at a time of high tension in the region. Israel has intensified airstrikes on Hezbollah targets on Lebanese soil, which has tightened restrictions in several sectors, including pop culture. As confirmed by a spokesperson for Italy Films, Disney's regional distributor, no feature film starring Gadot has been released in the country so far.

Controversy adds to poor box office performance.

The exclusion of Snow White from the Lebanese market aggravates the outlook for the production, which was already facing criticism and poor commercial performance. In the United States, its premiere was received lukewarmly, earning just $43 million in its first weekend. In the second week, its earnings dropped drastically, with a 66% drop that displaced it from the top spot at the box office, according to figures shared by Variety.

Gadot: from military service to public speaking engagements.

Gal Gadot, who plays the evil queen in the film, was born in Israel and served in her country's Defense Forces before launching her acting career in Hollywood. Since the October 7 Hamas attacks, she has stepped up her activism, openly defending Israel in interviews and public events.

Not only has the actress expressed direct support for Israeli forces, but she has also participated in private events and screenings that seek to bring visibility to the events of that day from an Israeli perspective.

During an interview with Variety, Gadot expressed concern over what she perceives as a wave of misinformation and hostility toward her country. In March, during her ceremony at the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, she used her speech to encourage other members of the Jewish community not to remain silent in the face of anti-Semitism. That event was surrounded by demonstrations by groups with opposing stances, which resulted in several arrests.

Lebanon strengthens its stance against Israeli figures

This is not the first recent case in which Lebanese authorities have blocked a film because of the nationality of its actors. In February, they applied the same measure against an installment of Captain America due to the participation of Shira Haas, also of Israeli origin.