Laura Benanti Slams Zachary Levi Over On-Set Behavior and Controversial Comments About Gavin Creel's Death

Laura Benanti and Zachary Levi's Broadway chemistry in She Loves Me didn’t translate into a lasting friendship, as Benanti recently revealed in a podcast interview. Despite their successful collaboration in the 2016 Tony Award-winning production, Benanti openly criticized Levi's behavior on set, saying she "never liked him." She recalled, “Everyone was like, ‘He’s so great!’ And I was like, ‘No, he’s not. He’s sucking up all the fucking energy in this room.’” Benanti added that Levi often tried to “mansplain” and took over the room with his high-energy “dance party” attitude, which she found disruptive.

The production, directed by Scott Ellis, featured a talented cast including Jane Krakowski, Gavin Creel, and Levi, and centered on two employees at odds with each other, unaware they were secret pen pals. While Benanti and Levi’s characters had romantic chemistry, their off-stage relationship was less than friendly.

Benanti also took issue with Levi's controversial comments after the death of their co-star Gavin Creel in September 2023. Creel, a beloved Broadway actor, passed away after battling a rare form of cancer. In an Instagram Live video, Levi suggested that Creel's death was linked to the COVID-19 vaccine, which sparked backlash from many in the theater community. Benanti found Levi's remarks offensive, criticizing him for politicizing Creel’s death for his own agenda. She expressed her disdain, saying, “To use his memory for his political agenda... I was like, ‘F*ck you forever.’”

Benanti’s frank remarks have added to the ongoing tension between the two stars, showcasing a stark contrast to the on-stage affection they portrayed in She Loves Me.