‘Taken out of context’: Zachary Levi clarifies comments after calling strike rules ‘so dumb’

Following Stephen Amell's comments on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike (and his eventual clarification), a quote from another DC actor at a fan event is generating backlash.

Zachary Levi, star of Shazam and the upcoming Netflix Spy Kids reboot, was at Comic-Con Manchester last weekend when he apparently joked about how he's not "allowed" to talk about any of his projects.

"This is so dumb," Levi says in a clip posted to TikTok on Thursday by @moviemaniacs. "I'm not allowed to talk about any of my previous work. I'm not allowed to talk about movies I've been a superhero in." He also vaguely references Tangled and Chuck. In mid-July, Levi had posted a strike update to Instagram, and expressed support for striking actors.

@moviemaniacs

Zachary Levi calls strike rules “so dumb”

♬ original sound - Movie Maniacs

Strike rules prohibit actors from promoting new projects or any project "covered by the TV/theatrical contracts," according to a July 13 memo. That means Levi potentially can't promote the upcoming Spy Kids: Armageddon, out next month, which also stars Gina Rodriguez. Their casting in the film also saw some backlash this week, and earlier this year, just before the release of Shazam: Fury of the Gods, Levi saw criticism for following an anti-LGBTQ Twitter account and expressing anti-vax views.

In a statement to Vanity Fair, Levi attempted to clarify his Comic-Con comments, stating that they were made in "jest" and "taken out of context": "I fully support my union, the WGA, and the strike. I remain an outspoken critic of the exploitative system that us artists are subject to work in since I started my journey in this business 25 years ago."

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Taken out of context’: Zachary Levi clarifies comments after calling strike rules ‘so dumb’ appeared first on The Daily Dot.