Gal Gadot (L); Joss Whedon.Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Joss Whedondenies that he threatenedGal Gadot’s career.
In a new interview withNew York Magazine, Whedon, who directed Gadot in 2017’sJustice League, addressed her 2021 claims that “He threatened my career and said that if I do something, he will make sure my career is miserable.”
“I don’t threaten people. Who does that?” said Whedon, 57, adding of the alleged incident, “English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech.”
Whedon told the magazine that had joked with Gadot, 36, that to fulfill her wishes and cut a specific scene of hers from the film, she would have to tie him to a railroad track and do it over his dead body. According to Whedon, she mistakenly thought he said overherdead body.
In an email to the magazine, Gadotremembered the exchange differently, saying, “I understood perfectly.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Joss Whedon.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
“He threatened my career and said that if I do something, he will make sure my career is miserable and I took care of it on the spot,” she added. (Whedon did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time.)
“And I must say that the heads of Warner Bros., they took care of it,” she added, in part. “Going back to the sense of righteousness that I have … you’re dizzy becauseyou can’t believe this was just said to you. And if he says it to me, then obviously he says it to many other people.”
A rep for Whedon did not comment to PEOPLE at the time.
In his interview withNew York Magazine, Whedon also addressed claims fromRay Fisher, who played Cyborg inJustice League, after Fisher, 34,said on Twitterin July 2020 that Whedon “wasgross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” during reshoots on the film.
In an October 2020 interview withForbes, Fisher further alleged that “race was just one of the issues with the reshoot process.” He said at the time, “There were massive blowups, threats, coercion, taunting, unsafe work conditions, belittling and gaslighting like you wouldn’t believe.”
The latter denied Fisher’s claims toNew York Magazine, saying he trimmed Cyborg’s role in the film because his plot “logically made no sense” and he wasn’t a fan of Fisher’s acting in it. He also denied digital lightening specifically of Fisher’s skin tone, tellingNew York Magazinethat he brightened everything in postproduction.
Ray Fisher (L); Joss Whedon.Frazer Harrison/Getty; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
Accordingto the publication, Whedon said Fisher’s allegations were neither “true or merited discussing.” He described Fisher’s actions as “a malevolent force,” adding, “We’re talking about a bad actor in both senses.”
While Fisher didn’t respond to related interview requests fromNew York Magazine,he tweeted Monday, “Looks like Joss Whedon got to direct an endgame after all … "
“Rather than address all of the lies and buffoonery today—I will be celebrating the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,” he added. “Tomorrow the work continues.#MLKDayA>E.”
source: people.com
