Hollywood celebrities are suffering the price for choosing sides in the Gaza war, with slogans like “Free Palestine” and “I stand with Israel” plastered over their social media pages. Gal Gadot, widely known for her role in “Wonder Woman,” has declared unwavering support for her country since October 7, when Hamas fighters stormed Gaza, murdering over 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and kidnapping approximately 240 more, according to Israeli officials. “I stand with Israel, and you should, too,” she told her 109 million Instagram followers.
Gigi Hadid spoke of the “systemic mistreatment of the Palestinian people by the government of Israel”
She has continued to regularly publish or share posts demanding that Hamas release the civilians it is holding — earning her both approval and criticism. “While you’re at it, can you use your platform to share all the missing and killed innocent Palestinians too?” a user on X, formerly Twitter, said in response to one of her tweets. According to Gaza’s Hamas government, Israel has blasted the Gaza Strip and started a ground invasion in retaliation for the October 7 attacks, killing more than 17,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children. In recent weeks, the Instagram account of American model Gigi Hadid, who is of Palestinian origin and has 79 million followers, has focused less on fashion. She spoke of the “systemic mistreatment of the Palestinian people by the government of Israel”.
“Stop telling lies. “You and your sisters are antisemitic,” one commenter stated, and many others agreed. Famous people can elicit both admiration and disgust from the public, especially if they make controversial comments. Long before social media, boxer Muhammad Ali, actress Jane Fonda, and singer Bob Dylan were either idolized or despised for their resistance to the Vietnam War. Recently, stars Ben Stiller, Angelina Jolie, and Sean Penn visited Ukraine to offer their support for the country, which was welcomed by the majority of their Western admirers.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more polarizing than most, exposing celebrities to even harsher responses
However, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is more polarizing than most, exposing celebrities to even harsher responses. Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s half-sister, shared a pro-Israeli message with her 399 million Instagram followers immediately after October 7, which she reportedly removed an hour later after receiving criticism. Susan Sarandon’s talent agency dismissed her in November after she made comments at a pro-Palestinian demonstration for which she later apologized.
Melissa Barrera, who appeared in the fifth and sixth instalments of the “Scream” franchise, was dropped from the seventh instalment cast by the producers, who stated that they had “zero tolerance for anti-Semitism and incitement to hatred.” The Mexicans had spoken out against “ethnic cleansing” in Gaza. Celebrities who take sides in the battle have “a lot to lose and little to gain,” according to Nicolas Vanderbilt, founder of the Brussels-based public relations agency Saper Vedere. Producers and sponsors, he claims, are uninterested in combining geopolitics with business. In this case, two “extremely organized” communities are on the alert, causing a “herd effect,” according to Vanderbilt.
According to the film trade press, Tom Cruise saved his own agent’s career after she used the word “genocide” on her Instagram account. Celebrities may remain silent, but there is “pressure to pronounce” and no protection from criticism in this fight, according to Jamil Jean-Marc Dakhlia, a professor of information and communication at Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris. “Silence is seen as taking a position,” Dakhlia explained. “So we are in a situation where you are forced to take sides, and not necessarily with much nuance.” Selena Gomez, an American singer and actor with 429 million Instagram followers, has been chastised for not taking a louder stand on the subject. She joined hundreds of others, including Hadid, Jennifer Lopez, and Joaquin Phoenix, in signing a petition calling for a truce and the safe release of prisoners.
Earlier, hundreds of celebrities, including Gadot, had signed an open letter thanking US President Joe Biden for supporting “the Jewish people” and calling for the release of all hostages held by Hamas. Very few signed both.