Gal Gadot¡¯s long-awaited induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame turned into an array of protests and controversy. The Israeli actress, widely known for her role as Wonder Woman, received her star in a ceremony that was delayed due to a face-off between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators.
According to Variety, the event outside the El Capitan Theatre saw protesters chanting slogans like ¡°Shame on Gal Gadot¡± and ¡°Heroes Fight Like Palestinians.¡± Some held signs referencing?No Other Land, an Oscar-winning documentary about Israeli military actions in Palestinian territories. Others demanded an end to U.S. financial aid to Israel.
Videos posted online showed police handcuffing demonstrators as tensions escalated. The protest came amid renewed Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, following a temporary ceasefire. Despite the commotion, Gadot did not address the ongoing conflict in her speech, instead choosing to focus on gratitude for her career and thanking?Wonder Woman?director Patty Jenkins.
While Gadot refrained from political statements at the ceremony, her past comments on the Israel-Palestine conflict continue to spark backlash. Following Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages, the actress took to Instagram, writing:
¡°I stand with Israel, you should too. The world cannot sit on the fence when these horrific acts of terror are happening!¡±
Since then, over 46,000 Palestinians have been reportedly killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes. Gadot, who served in the Israeli military, remains vocal in her support for her country. She currently has a link in her Instagram bio directing followers to ¡®Bring Them Home Now¡¯, a group advocating for the release of Israeli hostages.
In a recent interview with Variety, Gadot said she no longer engages in political discussions publicly, stating, ¡°After October 7, I don¡¯t talk politics ¡ª because who cares about the celebrity talking about politics? I¡¯m an artist. I want to entertain people. I want to bring hope and be a beacon of light whenever I say anything about the world.¡±
Amid the celebrations of Gal Gadot¡¯s Hollywood Walk of Fame honour, a seemingly innocent moment between the actress and her four-year-old daughter, Daniella, ignited an online controversy. A video shared by People magazine showed Gadot kissing her youngest child on the lips, sparking a divided reaction across social media. While many fans viewed it as a heartwarming mother-daughter interaction, others criticized the gesture, calling it ¡°inappropriate¡± and ¡°unusual.¡± Comments ranged from disapproving takes like, ¡°Kissing your child on the lips is not normal,¡± to outright dismissals of the backlash, with supporters defending the cultural differences in parental affection.
Adding to the ongoing controversies, Gadot¡¯s strained relationship with her co-star Rachel Zegler has fueled further debate. The feud reportedly escalated when Zegler, who has expressed pro-Palestinian views, took a subtle jab at Gadot. When she shared the?Snow White?trailer, she captioned it, ¡°Always the fairest of them all¡±¡ªa statement that many interpreted as a dig at Gadot, who plays the evil queen in the upcoming Disney live-action film.
Though neither actress has publicly addressed the tension, the ongoing conflict between their political stances has created a visible divide.
While Gal Gadot¡¯s star now shines on Hollywood Boulevard, the controversies surrounding her stance on Israel and her feud with Rachel Zegler continue to follow her. Whether she will continue to keep politics at arm¡¯s length or find herself at the center of future debates remains to be seen.