Joss Whedon's Alleged Threats Against Gal Gadot Revealed
Joss Whedon has fallen from grace. Once the beloved mind behind classic shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, he's now at the center of numerous controversies for his behavior. The avalanche of allegations started in July 2020 when Ray Fisher, who plays Victor Stone/Cyborg in Justice League, accused Whedon of "gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable" behavior. Since then, Whedon alums, including Sarah Michelle Gellar and Charisma Carpenter from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, have echoed Fisher's claims of Whedon fostering toxic work environments.
Shortly after the accusations flew, Warner Bros. investigated Whedon, and while Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot praised the company for its efforts, she refused to elaborate on her encounters with Whedon while shooting the 2017 Justice League movie. She claimed that she "had [her] own experience with [him], which wasn't the best one," but she also said that she nipped the problems in the bud as they cropped up. However, a report has surfaced indicating that Whedon's and Gadot's onset relationship might have been more toxic than she initially claimed.
Joss Whedon reportedly threatened Gal Gadot's career
Joss Whedon reportedly "clashed" with all of Justice League's main stars, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The April 2021 article cited anonymous "knowledgeable" sources who claimed that Whedon wanted to pursue his own vision, even if it didn't mesh with the actors and existing characterizations. The more an actor fought against Whedon's ideas, the more he purportedly targeted them, and Gal Gadot was apparently one of the biggest thorns in his side.
The Hollywood Reporter's sources claimed that Gadot had multiple "issues about her character." She felt that Wonder Woman was far more aggressive in Justice League than in her eponymous movie, and Whedon reportedly forced Gadot to "record lines she didn't like" under threat of harming her career, and he also bad-mouthed Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. The article reported that one witness (again anonymous) saw Whedon "bragging" about how he handled Gadot. "He told her he's the writer and she's going to shut up and say the lines and he can make her look incredibly stupid in this movie," per the source.
Reports paint Joss Whedon as a tyrannical director
By now, the reason Zack Snyder left the Justice League movie is pretty much common knowledge: Joss Whedon stepped in to provide levity to the bleak storyline and wound up taking over the entire project. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Whedon didn't just inject levity but altered the movie to pursue personal glory at the cost of everyone around him.
Whedon reportedly started stepping on everyone's toes from the start. According to Ray Fisher (pictured above), when he received the first modified script, it removed much of his character's tragic backstory. While Whedon sent an email asking for feedback, according to Fisher, it was all a ruse. Fisher claimed Whedon wasn't looking for criticism — constructive or otherwise — but instead "fulsome praise." When Fisher called him about the changes, Whedon cut him off, Fisher said. Anonymous sources also claimed that Whedon was "similarly dismissive" when Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman) raised their own concerns.
Fisher alleged that Whedon openly stated, "I don't like taking notes from anybody — not even Robert Downey Jr." But one of the few issues Fisher and Whedon agreed on was Cyborg's cartoon catchphrase, "Booyah." Neither wanted to include the line, but they ended up filming it due to mounting pressure from the film's producers.
Only time will tell if more allegations regarding Whedon's behavior will emerge.