Actor Zachary Levi, known for his role in the DC superhero franchise Shazam!, has been making controversial statements on his social media accounts, causing backlash from fans and critics alike.
In a tweet, Levi expressed agreement with the notion that Pfizer, the manufacturer of the COVID-19 vaccine, is “a real danger to the world.”
He supported this claim by sharing a link to a Justice.gov press release about Pfizer paying $2.3 billion as part of a fraud settlement in 2009. This has led some to question whether Levi is an anti-vaxxer.
Hardcore agree. 😐
— Zachary Levi (@ZacharyLevi) January 29, 2023
Levi’s previous controversial comments include a clip from his appearance on the Shawn Stevenson podcast The Model Health Show, in which he criticizes American pharmaceutical companies’ advertisements for downplaying the side effects of their products.
Levi has also been criticized for his admiration of Jordan Peterson, a right-wing self-help guru who has made anti-transgender comments.
In a clip from The Joe Rogan Experience, Levi praises Peterson as “one of the deepest thinkers I’ve ever heard break down, like, human behavior,” and does not correct Rogan after he deadnames actor Elliot Page.
Levi has also been called out for his political views. In 2018, he was criticized for a tweet regarding white men leading conversations about racism and s*xism.
Levi argued that “Saying that men can’t lead meaningful conversations about s*xism, and that white people can’t lead meaningful conversations about racism, is both s*xist and racist.”
In 2020, Levi’s social media posts appeared to empathize with Trump voters, leading to backlash from fans.
Levi is identified as a Christian and gave an interview to CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) last year, a network founded by Pat Robertson, who has a history of making homophobic and s*xist comments.
Levi’s controversial statements have cast a shadow over the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the long-awaited sequel to the hit superhero movie, is due out in March.
This has caused concern for the already embattled studio, which has faced plenty of behind-the-scenes drama.
