Actor Zachary Levi is facing intense backlash from the Broadway community after posting an inflammatory social media video linking his former co-star's death to COVID-19 vaccines . The Shazam! star, who endorsed Donald Trump's 2024 presidential bid , claimed in video on Monday in an Instagram post that his She Loves Me co-star Gavin Creel, who died last month at 48 from a rare aggressive cancer , "would still be alive" if he hadn't received the COVID-19 vaccination. Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz led the criticism, expressing disappointment in Levi's decision to "politicize Gavin's death" and use his "life and legacy to promote this awful platform.
" Creel's partner, Alex Temple Ward, confirmed to The New York Times that the beloved Broadway performer, known for his roles in Hello, Dolly! and Into the Woods, received his cancer diagnosis in July. The controversial video featured Levi suggesting that "turbo cancers" were a known side effect of vaccines that were "forced on the American public," claims that medical experts have repeatedly debunked. "It is harmful, dangerous and reprehensible," wrote performer Chaz Wolcott in response to Levi's claims, calling the actor's statements "unproven disinformation.
" Industry insiders note this controversy follows Levi's recent rightward political shift, including his endorsement of Donald Trump 's presidential bid - a move he himself characterized as "career suicide." The Hollywood Reporter recently suggested Levi's political transf.
