Zachary Levi first became a familiar voice to Disney fans when he played Flynn Rider in the wildly successful 2010 animated film Tangled. His charming portrayal of the roguish thief captured the hearts of audiences and led to him reprising the role in numerous Disney projects, including video games, short films, and television series related to the Tangled franchise.
The actor’s career continued to grow, most notably when he starred as the superhero Shazam in the DC films. The original Shazam! did well at the box office, earning over $350 million, but the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, was less successful.
Levi’s public image took a different turn when he openly voiced his support for Donald Trump, having initially backed Robert Kennedy Jr. in his presidential bid. Raised in a conservative Christian household with a deep distrust of the government, Levi’s political views began to make headlines and divide his fanbase.
However, it was not just his political stance that stirred controversy. In October 2024, Levi claimed on Instagram Live that the COVID-19 vaccine had caused the death of Broadway star Gavin Creel, who had been battling cancer. Levi asserted that Creel was forced to receive the vaccine to continue performing, which he alleged transformed the illness into what he called a “turbo cancer.” These claims were made without scientific evidence and quickly drew criticism.
Two months later, actress Laura Benanti, who starred alongside both Levi and Creel in the Broadway production She Loves Me, publicly slammed Levi’s statements. She expressed a longstanding dislike for Levi and condemned his use of Creel’s death to promote false narratives. Benanti’s remarks underscored the tension Levi’s views have created within the entertainment community.
The fallout from these controversies has apparently affected Levi’s career opportunities.
According to a recent report from Variety, Levi has said that many people in the industry prefer not to work with him because of his opinions.
Levi explained:
“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,” he says as he nods in the direction of Beverly Hills, where his agents at UTA are headquartered. “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. I knew that was probably going to happen. I didn’t make this decision blindly or casually.”
Despite this, Levi notes that his outspokenness has inspired some actors who want to collaborate with him, although he did not identify who those individuals are.
Currently, Levi has several projects in various stages of production and release. These include the completed films Not Without Hope and Sarah’s Oil, both scheduled for release this year. Additionally, Hotel Tehran is listed as “In Production,” while Free Fall and Undercover are in “Pre-Production.”
