The mirror on the wall might have some bad news for Gal Gadot.
Disney’s highly anticipated (and heavily debated) live-action remake of Snow White officially hit theaters yesterday, and the initial critical reaction has been described as a total “bloodbath.” While the film was meant to be a grand villainous debut for the former Wonder Woman star, critics are sounding off on what many are calling a “colossal failure” in casting.
Social media has been quick to pick up on the divide, with X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok flooded with clips comparing Gadot’s performance to the high-camp energy usually required for a Disney villain. Despite her “divine” look in darkly purplish finery and “nails like daggers,” many felt the performance lacked the necessary menace.
“I expected a lot more from Gal but she sounded like she was just reading the lyrics,” one viral post noted. “It was so awkward to watch her try to keep up with Rachel.”
In a surprising twist, Rachel Zegler—who faced months of pre-release scrutiny—is being hailed by many outlets as the film’s “unlikely savior.” Critics are praising her “endless charisma” and powerhouse vocals, creating a stark contrast with Gadot’s “speak-singing” delivery of the new villain anthem, “All Is Fair.”
The vocal gap between the two leads has become a major talking point. While Zegler’s singing has been called the “gold standard,” Gadot’s musical numbers have been described by some as “not as fun as they should be”—Hollywood code for a bit of a disaster.
However, not everyone is placing the blame solely on the actress. Some industry insiders argue that Gadot was “held back by a drab screenplay” that failed to provide the witty quips or icy dialogue needed to make the Evil Queen truly pop. “The gowns were great but the dialogue was so flat,” one defender argued. “Even the best actor in the world could not have saved those lines.”
With a production budget reportedly reaching into the hundreds of millions, the stakes for this project couldn’t be higher. Between the controversy over the CGI characters and rumors of on-set tension, the “flop” label is one that both Disney and Gadot are desperate to shake.
As the box office numbers trickle in, the industry is watching closely. Can the former Amazonian Queen distance herself from the wreckage, or will this “miscast curse” follow her to her next project? One thing is certain: the road to redemption will be a long one.
Would you like me to look into which other A-list actresses reportedly turned down the Evil Queen role before it was offered to Gal Gadot?
