‘Uglies’ star Joey King has been a renowned personality in the entertainment industry ever since she was a child actress. The 25-year-old is known for roles in numerous projects like ‘Ramona and Beezus’ (2010), ‘The Act’ (2019), and Netflix’s ‘The Kissing Booth’ series (2018-2021). Additionally, she has played lead roles in ‘Bullet Train’ (2022), ‘The Princess’ (2022), and ‘A Family Affair’ (2024).
But lately, the Jewish actress has found herself at the center of intense controversy and criticism. Her popularity has taken a nosedive, especially since 2023. So, you might be wondering: why do people hate Joey King? If you’re someone who’s out of the loop for whatever reason, here’s everything you need to know about the reasons she is an extremely unpopular person on the internet.
People Hate Joey King Because of Her Controversial Political Views on Israel
First up, let’s address Joey King’s latest sci-fi flop, ‘Uglies,’ which hit Netflix on September 13, 2024. Based on Scott Westerfeld’s popular novel, the film is centered around a post-apocalyptic dystopian society obsessed with beauty standards. Despite high expectations, the movie has been panned by critics, with an awful 19% on Rotten Tomatoes.
You’d struggle to find a single person who thinks this franchise, which ended on a cliffhanger (setting up a sequel), genuinely carries the ability to live up to its source material given countless issues with the script, poor special effects, and overall execution that was sorely lacking.
Joey King isn’t someone who is unfamiliar with poor reception. Her Netflix film track record has been anything but impressive for the past six years, with projects like ‘The Kissing Booth’ series and ‘A Family Affair’ receiving similar bad reviews. This seemingly never-ending streak of “Rotten” films has definitely affected her public image among fans.
But it’s not primarily her film career that has brought hatred towards Joey King. She is, in fact, under scrutiny because of the political controversies.
Back in 2023, the Jewish actress shared an Instagram Story showing support for the mass protests in Israel against then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Her comment praised the protests as a fight for democracy and sent love to her friends in Israel. While her intention might have been to support democratic values, the post drew anger from those who saw it as a sign of support for Zionist policies, which they argue are linked to the Israeli government’s actions in Palestine.
The backlash has been especially strong from people who are critical of Israeli policies and see any support for Israel as problematic. King’s political stance got her labeled as a “Zionist” by social media, in particular Twitter users, which only made things worse, especially with the failure of her latest film piling onto the negative sentiment and hatred around her.
In May last year, King also got a tattoo of the Hebrew word “hummus” after an enjoyable trip to Tel Aviv.
Joey King Faces Social Media Backlash for Israel Support Amid Uglies Release
https://twitter.com/simoneumba/status/1795881307831951441The mix of Joey King’s political views and her latest flop film has provided more ammo than ever for chronic social media users. Several tweets have been especially harsh, calling her out for her supposed Zionist beliefs and linking that to the movie’s themes of discrimination and segregation. They find it pretty ironic that she’s starring in a film about societal divides. Some have also completely boycotted her film, with one writing, “Once again, we will not be supporting anything a zionist like Joey King has worked on.”
Her much-anticipated movie performing terribly is the worst thing that could have happened to her at this moment. One user tweeted, “This is honestly the perfect BS for Joey King to star in. Love seeing zionists in their flop era (the only era she has ever known).” Another wrote, “No filter can change the fact that Joey King will always be ugly af.” Adding to the heat, some have taken personal digs, saying it’s fitting that every time they open Netflix, they’re greeted by Joey King’s face with the word “Uglies” right underneath.
Overall, the actress’ public image, at least on social media, is in the gutter, and it’s down to a mix of factors. Her recent projects haven’t fared well critically or commercially, so her underwhelming film career isn’t helping matters. But the major reason people hate her is because she supports Israel, and it remains extremely unlikely she can turn things around anytime soon, or maybe she doesn’t want to.
‘Uglies’ is currently streaming on Netflix.
