Actress Gal Gadot will reportedly not reprise her role in any sequel of Wonder Woman unless executive producer Brett Ratner is removed from the franchise following a string of sexual harassment allegations, a Hollywood source told Page Six.
“She’s tough and stands by her principles. She also knows the best way to hit people like Brett Ratner is in the wallet,” the source told the outlet of Gadot.
From Page Six:
Ratner’s production company RatPac-Dune Entertainment helped produce “Wonder Woman” as part of its co-financing deal with Warner Bros. The movie has grossed more than $400 million internationally, and Ratner’s company will take a healthy share of the profits. A Warner Bros. insider explained, “Brett made a lot of money from the success of ‘Wonder Woman,’ thanks to his company having helped finance the first movie. Now Gadot is saying she won’t sign for the sequel unless Warner Bros. buys Brett out [of his financing deal] and gets rid of him.”
Gadot, a former Miss Israel who has also appeared in the Justice League, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the Fast and Furious franchise, is reportedly using her leverage as the DC Comics heroine to push Ratner out.
“She also knows that Warner Bros. has to side with her on this issue as it develops,” a source told Page Six. “They can’t have a movie rooted in women’s empowerment being part-financed by a man accused of sexual misconduct against women.”
Last month Gadot backed out of a planned appearance at a dinner for the Jewish National Fund where she was expected to present Ratner with the Tree of Life Award. Wonder Women director Patty Jenkins took Gadot’s place and presented the award to the embattled producer. The awards event took place days before Ratner was accused by six women of sexual harassment and assault, which include “strong-arming” a 19-year-old actress into performing oral sex on him and forcing a woman to watch him masturbate. Ratner has denied all the allegations.
Jenkins took to Twitter to express remorse for Ratner’s alleged victims, to speak out against sexual harassment, and distance herself from the Hollywood titan she praised just days before.
— Patty Jenkins (@PattyJenks) November 1, 2017
Last week, Warner Bros. severed ties with Ratner over the claims, as did Playboy Enterprises, with whom he was working on a biopic about deceased porn icon Hugh Hefner.
In an Instagram post last month, Gadot condemned the culture of sexual harassment within the entertainment industry.
“Bullying and sexual harassment is unacceptable,” she wrote. “I stand by all the courageous women confronting their fears and speaking out. Together we stand.”
Follow Ben Kew on Facebook, Twitter at @ben_kew, or email him at bkew@breitbart.com.
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