Nuria Azancot

Two months ago, Javier Bardem told his followers to boycott Adidas because it partnered with a disabled Israeli man. Now, he's starring in a film by an Israeli filmmaker. According to Bardem, the Adidas campaign was unacceptable because it featured Shalev Biton, an Israeli who lost his leg when he was wounded on the Gaza border in 2021. He shared posts calling Biton a war criminal and a "genocidal demon." Except Biton was injured while guarding inside Israel's borders, hardly a "war crime." He spent the years since becoming a powerful advocate for disability rights. The Adidas campaign advertised a service that lets amputees buy a single shoe. Adidas ended up apologizing for the ad. This week, Lionsgate announced that Bardem will star in Wet, a new film written and directed by Alma Har'el, an Israeli filmmaker who was born and raised in Tel Aviv. It might seem strange for Bardem to lead a global shaming campaign against an Israeli who advertised inclusion, and then happily accept a job opportunity from an Israeli making a star-studded film. But it makes sense when you remember that all of his decisions are based on one thing. Opportunism.