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Zachary Levi claims Gavin Creel died from the COVID-19 vaccine

Zachary Levi has come under fire from members of the Broadway community following a bizarre online rant in which he used the death of his former co-star Gavin Creel to promote a conspiracy theory about COVID-19 vaccines.

In a video posted to Instagram on Monday, the “Shazam!” actor said he believed Creel, whom he co-starred with in the 2016 revival of “She Loves Me” on Broadway, “would still be alive” had he not been vaccinated against COVID-19.

“I know this is going to offend some people and make some people angry, and I wish that wasn’t the case,” Levi said. “So a few weeks ago my friend Gavin Creel passed away. He was 48 years old and he was one of the healthiest people I knew.

After suggesting that the COVID-19 vaccines were being “forced on the American public” despite known side effects, including “turbo cancers,” he added: “Without a shadow of a doubt, I believe Gavin Creel would still be alive right now – damn it.” now – he would still be alive if that stuff didn’t get into his body.”

Creel, beloved by theater fans for his performances in “Hello, Dolly!” and “Into the Woods,” among other musicals, died last month of a rare and aggressive form of cancer. The actor’s partner, Alex Temple Ward, told The New York Times in a statement that Creel was diagnosed in July.

Levi’s video earned a stern reprimand from Tony-winning actor Norbert Leo Butz, best known for his role as Fiyero in the original Broadway production of “Wicked.”

Gavin Creel (left) and Zachary Levi starred together in the 2016 revival "She loves me" on Broadway.
Gavin Creel (left) and Zachary Levi co-starred in the 2016 revival of “She Loves Me” on Broadway.

Walter McBride via Getty Images

“So incredibly disappointed that you are politicizing Gavin’s death. I really tried to give you the advantage here,” Butz wrote. “I was halfway through, which was incredibly difficult. But he was heartbroken, as he would have been, that you felt the need to use his life and legacy to promote this terrible platform.

Actor and dancer Chaz Wolcott felt the same way, writing: “It is harmful, dangerous and reprehensible that you would weaponize someone’s death from cancer to further your vaccine agenda. It’s gotten out of hand – and I’m shocked that you’re sharing that level of unproven misinformation with your followers. You should be ashamed.”

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In recent years, Levi has repeatedly sparked controversy with his conservative views.

The outspoken supporter of former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Donald Trump for president last month, calling the move “career suicide.”

Days later, The Hollywood Reporter published an article speculating that Levi’s drift to the right began after his recent films, ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, underperformed at the box office.

“When he was cast as Shazam, it was literally his dream,” an insider told the outlet. “He thought this was his ticket to becoming The Rock or Chris Evans. But for him it didn’t happen, and he’s bitter about that.”