The term “Zionist Barbie” has been used on social media after people learned Gal Gadot and Amy Schumer had been in line to play the iconic doll.
The role instead went to Australian actor Margot Robbie. Barbie subsequently became the highest grossing movie of 2023, bringing in more than $1.4 billion at the global box office.
Gal Gadot ‘Barbie’ Revelation Sparks BacklashBy Shannon PowerPop Culture & Entertainment Reporter71New Fairness Meter!
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The term “Zionist Barbie” has been used on social media after people learned Gal Gadot and Amy Schumer had been in line to play the iconic doll.
The role instead went to Australian actor Margot Robbie. Barbie subsequently became the highest grossing movie of 2023, bringing in more than $1.4 billion at the global box office.
But Robbie, who also served as producer on the film, recently revealed she had wanted Israeli actress Gal Gadot to play the titular character, according to Deadline. Instead, director and screenwriter Greta Gerwig insisted Robbie play Barbie.
Given this fact and that pro-Israeli comedian Amy Schumer was also offered the role of Barbie in 2016 in a different project about the doll, many have been led to make jokes about “Zionist Barbie.” Schumer left that project over what she described as “creative differences.”
Both actresses have been vocal in their support for Israel after Hamas’ surprise attack on the country on October 7. The military arm of the Palestinian group killed 1,200 people in its attack, according to figures from the Associated Press, and took more than 200 people hostage, some of which have been released.
Israel’s retaliatory military campaign to the Hamas attack has killed more than 23,000 in the Gaza Strip and the country is currently facing accusations of war crimes in the International Court of Justice
“This film dodging Gal Gadot AND Amy Schumer… like they really wanted a zionist barbie😭,” wrote one person on X.
Another added: “first amy schumer, then gal gadot? why does it feel like the original plot of barbie was some kind of zionist propaganda. instead of ken taking barbie’s house, barbie takes ken’s house and then gaslights him and says that it was actually always her house and ken has no rights.”
And a third wrote: “thank god that zionist didn’t get the role” mind you both greta gerwig and margot robbie praised her and said they still wanted her in the movie it’s very hypocritical and performative to drag gal gadot to praise two women who side with her despite her proud and loud zionism!”
Both Gadot and Schumer have received waves of criticism and praise for their stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
But more recently as they went quiet on social media following the trolling, some questioned their silence, especially in regards to calling for the release of the hostages by Hamas.
“The way Gal Gadot, Amy Schumer, and Noah Schnapp are have been extremely silent upon the hostages release is very telling,” said maya on X, “This is never about the hostages, and it shows.”
In a video shared to TikTok, user @mirna__abu accused Israel of having “lost the propaganda game.”
“Where is Amy Schumer, Gal Gadot and Noah Schnapp?” she said in the clip that has been viewed more than 444,000 times. “Why aren’t they talking about the released hostages?
“Why aren’t they talking about the letter that literally broke the internet? What about the ‘Bye Maya,’ ‘Bye Shukran’.”
She continued: “Why aren’t they talking about why the hostages refuse to talk to [Benjamin] Netanyahu? Or why they are not allowed to talk to the press?”
