Zachary Levi reveals people don’t want to work with him after Trump endorsement and vaccine skepticism
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Zachary Levi, star of 'Shazam!' and 'Chuck', says he’s experiencing professional backlash over his outspoken political beliefs, including his support for Donald Trump and vaccine skepticism, revealing that some in Hollywood now refuse to work with him.
In a new interview with Variety, the 43-year-old actor acknowledged that his team has informed him certain industry figures are distancing themselves.
Zachary Levi says Hollywood is turning its back on him over political views and vaccine stance
“I know that there are people that would prefer not to work with me now because of my opinions. My team has let me know,” Zachary Levi said. “They haven't given me any specific names, but there are people who prefer not to work with me at this time. And it's unfortunate.”
Levi says he wasn’t blindsided. “I knew that was probably going to happen,” he added. “I didn’t make this decision blindly or casually.”
Levi’s reputation has taken several hits over the past year. Levi, a longtime supporter of independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr, made headlines after endorsing Trump and questioning the safety of Covid-19 vaccines, including calling Pfizer a “real danger to the world” on social media.
Zachary Levi's controversial statements spark industry backlash
Zachary Levi later backed Donald Trump in September and sparked controversy in recent years for sharing polarizing views. He drew backlash after criticizing the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Just months before 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' hit theaters, he stirred even more debate when he replied “Hardcore agree” to a tweet suggesting Pfizer, the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer, was a global threat, leaving many fans stunned.
Recently, he drew heavy criticism for implying that Broadway actor Gavin Creel’s death may have been linked to vaccination, a claim widely rejected by the medical community. Creel, 48, died of a rare and aggressive cancer.
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Tony Award-winning Broadway star Norbert Leo Butz was among those who spoke out against Levi, calling him out for using Creel's passing to push an anti-vaccine narrative.
“Really tried to give you the benefit here. Made it halfway through, which was hard as hell,” Butz wrote. “But was utterly heartbroken, as he would have been, that you felt the need to use his life and legacy to promote this awful platform.”
His former co-stars, including Laura Benanti, condemned his comments. Benanti didn’t mince words, saying on a podcast, “To use (Creel's) memory for his political agenda and to watch him try to make himself cry until he had one single tear, which he did not wipe away. I was like, ‘F**K you forever.’” She also claimed Levi was difficult to work with during their 'She Loves Me run', describing him as “sucking up all the energy in the room.”
Levi previously brushed off questions about cancelation, telling Bill Maher in December, “If it happens, it happens.” At the time, he said none of his active projects had been affected but hinted he hadn’t yet checked in with his team about potential fallout.
