HOLLYWOOD CIVIL WAR: Activists Demand Gadot and Butler BANNED
The political heat at the nd Venice Film Festival hit boiling point after a massive activist push demanded that two of Hollywood’s biggest stars—Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler—be outright banned from the premiere of their new film, “In the Hand of Dante.” The reason? Their public and financial ties to Israel.
Anti-Israel activists, operating under the banner VenicePalestine, released a scathing statement urging festival organizers to “withdraw invitations to Butler, Gadot, and any artist and celebrity who publicly and actively supports the genocide.” They questioned the ethics of paying tribute to figures who “ideologically and materially support Israel’s political and military conduct.”
This is far more than a simple protest; it’s an organized attempt to blacklist A-list talent over deeply polarizing international politics. Gadot, a native of Petah Tikva and former soldier in the IDF, has been openly supportive of her home country, especially following the Oct. terrorist attack. Butler, who attended a Friends of the IDF gala in , was pulled into the firestorm by association.
️ DIRECTOR’S DEFENSE: Schnabel Defies Boycott Pressure
The film’s director, acclaimed American filmmaker and artist Julian Schnabel, immediately delivered a powerful public defense of his stars at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Schnabel refused to cave to the activist demands, stating, “I think there’s no reason to boycott artists.“
Schnabel insisted his casting decisions were purely professional: “I selected those actors for their merits as actors, and they did an extraordinary job in the film, and that’s about it,” he declared, adding bluntly, “I think we should talk about the movie rather than this issue.”
This is a massive act of professional courage and loyalty from Schnabel, who used his own personal spotlight—he was set to receive Venice’s Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award that evening—to shield his actors. Festival Director Alberto Barbera confirmed the invitations were never withdrawn, ensuring the artists’ right to attend was protected.
THE NO-SHOW SCANDAL: Did Gadot and Butler Retreat?
Despite being publicly cleared to attend, neither Gal Gadot nor Gerard Butler showed up at the Venice Film Festival this year. This high-profile absence, amidst the massive boycott demand, is fueling intense PR speculation. Were they truly unavailable, or did they strategically retreat to avoid a chaotic, political red carpet protest?
A representative for Gadot claimed she “was never able nor was ever confirmed to attend the Venice Film Festival,” a statement that conveniently excuses her from the political heat. Butler, who has been silent on Israel since the Oct. attack, also chose to skip the event.
The strategic no-show suggests that the star’s PR teams determined the risk of being targeted by protesters outweighed the benefit of attending the premiere. The premiere, which stars Oscar Isaac as both the journalist Nick Tosches and Dante Alighieri himself, still managed to receive a lengthy /-minute ovation despite the off-screen drama.
GADOT’S DEFENSE: ‘My Conscience Was Clean’
Gadot’s political conviction is rooted in her IDF service and her recent experience fighting the culture war over her now-flopped Disney film. She previously claimed the “pressure” to speak out against Israel directly caused her movie, Snow White, to tank at the box office.
The actress has been unwavering in her defense of Israel, stating that her “conscience was clean” because she “felt like I had to advocate for the hostages.” This personal conviction is what makes her a lightning rod for activist groups and why she is fighting to control the narrative.
The political cost of her views is immense, but Gadot is doubling down, refusing to apologize or compromise her deeply held beliefs, even if it means sacrificing major career moments like the Venice premiere.
THE ALL-STAR CAST: Pacino, Momoa, and Scorsese Entangled
The sheer star power of Schnabel’s film makes the boycott demand even more volatile. The cast list is littered with legends and A-listers who were implicitly drawn into the political vortex: Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Martin Scorsese, and Jason Momoa are all attached to the production.
The controversy forced the entire festival to address the conflict, with Barbera defending the Biennale’s tradition of “openness and debate.” He stated: “We’ve been asked to turn down invitations to artists—we will not do that.” The protest successfully forced one of the world’s most prestigious cultural events to take a public stand on the ongoing war.
THE CLIFFHANGER: Can Gadot Ever Return To Public Life?
Gal Gadot escaped a potentially chaotic confrontation at the Venice Film Festival, but she had to skip one of the most important premieres of her new film. The question is now existential for her career.
Has Gal Gadot’s unwavering political stance and history with the IDF permanently condemned her to a career of strategic no-shows and red-carpet exile, or will the defense from industry heavyweights like Julian Schnabel finally give her the power to walk a global red carpet in peace?
The fight for her public life is the most brutal action sequence of her career.
Schnabel delivering his powerful defense.
The two stars targeted by the boycott.
The group demanding the disinvitation.
The festival boss who refused to ban the stars.
Gadot’s background and political ties.
The official excuse for Gadot’s absence.
Butler’s past support for the IDF.
Oscar Isaac as the lead star.
Her previous statement blaming the political climate.
Her justification for her political actions.
Schnabel’s award win at the festival.
The film’s massive /-minute ovation.
The dates of the festival.
Barbera’s statement on the situation in Gaza.
The protocol around the invitations.
Her Israeli birthplace.
Schnabel’s focus on their acting abilities.
Her ongoing star power.
Her military background detail.
Butler’s quiet stance after the attack.
The recent context of her career.
The political fight shadowing her career.
The risk of long-term red carpet exile.
The purpose of the Cartier Glory award.
The source novel of the film.
The dual timeline of the film.
The other legends in the cast.
The festival’s policy of free expression.
The nature of Butler’s IDF tie.
The timing of her support statement.
The location of the festival’s main events.
The reason for her absence.
The nature of the activist demand.
The severe consequences of her views.
The broader context of her political comments.
The real fear of her career being blacklisted.
The strength of her political belief.
The uncertainty of her future public appearances.
The significance of Schnabel’s shield.
The festival as a site of political conflict.
The political cost of her career survival.
The scale of the activist demand.
The cause of the film’s financial failure.
The impact on her public life.
The goal of the activist protest.
The reason for avoiding red carpet chaos.
The risk of her political identity to her career.
The pressure context of her previous film.
