Celebrities bask in using their platforms granted by fame to promote causes and advocate for or against things good and bad — notwithstanding their knowledge or experience. The latest to take a stand is Shazam! actor Zachary Levi but there’s an intriguing twist. He is coming forward with his skepticism and caution about the big pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
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Quoting and replying to a tweet Sunday by self-styled investment guru Lyndon Wood asking “Do you agree or not, that Pfizer is a real danger to the world?” — Levi responded with “Hardcore agree” accompanied by a neutral face emoji. So far, his post has over 11 million views and received the support of Ethan Van Sciver who tweeted back, “Yeah brother!”
Levi later posted a follow-up with the caption “Just one example of what I’m referring to…” This second tweet contained a link to a Justice Department article concerning a $2.3 billion settlement Pfizer paid for fraudulent marketing and illegal promotion of certain products. However, the rub is that Levi’s link covers a pre-pandemic case from 2009.
Although it doesn’t redound well to the company’s reputation and proves a case history of fraud, some are pointing out that the link is old — so old it corresponds to the point in Levi’s career where he was well-known for the NBC series Chuck and other TV roles. It would be another five years before he made the short-lived jump to the MCU.
It’s also clear Levi is walking a fine line here. While he is expressing apprehension about one of the major drug companies, a leading manufacturer of mRNA vaccines, and their honesty, the actor hasn’t explicitly come out against COVID shots — mandated or otherwise. If he is anti-vaccine, it’s a perspective he has been quiet about until now, and can only be a suspicion.
That isn’t stopping Twitter from being suspicious and reappraising past comments Levi made on Joe Rogan’s podcast that were positive toward Jordan Peterson. He is likewise an avowed man of faith which is enough of a stumbling block for a certain segment of the moviegoing population that is leery of people — entertainers and civilians alike — strictly on that basis.
Religious people are conscientious objectors even in the medical field to some versions of the vaccine, and mandating it be taken or else, as some brands are allegedly created using cells and parts from aborted babies. Levi could be one such individual or at least has this in mind when forming his opinion about Pfizer and their products.
— Neb | 🏳️🌈 (@NebsGoodTakes) December 31, 2022
What ramifications these tweets and the Joe Rogan clip might have on Levi’s job as the big screen’s OG Captain Marvel with his next movie on the horizon isn’t clear yet, but there is a case study in how Warner Bros. handled former Mary Marvel actress Michelle Borth’s transient Instagram comment about the January 6th Capitol incident involving shooting victim Ashli Babbit.
NEXT: Shazam! Actress Michelle Borth Targeted For Cancellation Over Ashli Babbit Instagram Post