Israel will have patriotic representation at the Oscars this year, though from the presenter’s podium: Actor Gal Gadot will join the lineup of award presenters at the 97th annual Academy Awards ceremony on March 2, Hollywood’s most glamorous cinematic event of the year.
While the specific award Gadot will present remains undisclosed, her inclusion represents a significant honor.
Among other newly announced presenters are Hollywood heavyweights Harrison Ford, Samuel L. Jackson, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Andrew Garfield, Margaret Qualley, and notably, Rachel Zegler, who stars alongside Gadot in Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Snow White” premiering later this month. (The pairing of these two actresses at the ceremony hardly seems coincidental). Zegler has posted pro-Palestinian tweets on X.
These stars will join previously announced presenters, including Ben Stiller, Selena Gomez, Oprah Winfrey, Willem Dafoe and Ana de Armas, with Conan O’Brien hosting the evening and Nick Offerman serving as the ceremony’s announcer.
The announcement of Gadot’s participation comes shortly after The Brigade—a pro-Israel organization active in Hollywood—declared it would not remain passive if ceremony attendees wear the red hand pin associated with the pro-Palestinian initiative Artists4ceasefire, which critics have linked to imagery reminiscent of the blood-stained hands of those who perpetrated the Ramallah lynching in the year 2000.
Questions have emerged about whether or not Gadot will wear the yellow hostage pin after her decision not to wear it while presenting at the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 5 sparked criticism.
Initial reports claimed that the Israeli actress was prohibited from wearing symbols that might be interpreted as politically charged. Gadot refuted this on her Instagram account, stating: “I was never forbidden from wearing the pin. Some chose to tell a fabricated story. I prefer to focus on what truly matters—our hostages. My heart is with the families waiting for them.”
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
