Chris O'Dowd says he only participated in Gal Gadot's ridiculed 'Imagine' video because he assumed it was for charity

• Chris O'Dowd revealed in a recent podcast interview that he only took part in Gal Gadot's much-maligned "Imagine" video because he thought it was for charity.
• "I presumed it was for kids. I know that Gal works for UNICEF, so I presumed it was a charity thing," O'Dowd said during his appearance on BBC's "Grounded" podcast.
• The actor also explained that he first became aware of the video after his "Bridesmaids" costar Kristen Wiig invited him to participate.
• "I'll do anything Kristen asks me to do, so of course we just did it," he said.
• Gadot released the video (which featured her leading a group of stars including Wiig, O'Dowd, Natalie Portman, and Will Ferrell in song) in March, but it was instantly criticized for being out of touch.

Chris O'Dowd explained during a recent podcast appearance that he only took part in Gal Gadot's ridiculed "Imagine" sing-along because he thought it was for a charitable cause.

Speaking on the BBC's "Grounded" podcast, the actor said that he thought Gadot's past work with UNICEF meant that the video was for charity.

"I presumed it was for kids. I know that Gal works for UNICEF, so I presumed it was a charity thing," O'Dowd said, according to ET Canada.

The star also explained that he first became aware of the video's creation after his "Bridesmaids" costar Kristen Wiig got in touch.

"I'll do anything Kristen asks me to do, so of course we just did it," O'Dowd said. "It took five minutes, didn't think about it."

Released in March as the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing, Gadot's video featured a number of celebrities, (including Wiig, O'Dowd, Natalie Portman, Will Ferrell, Amy Adams, and Mark Ruffalo) singing along to the John Lennon hit, with Gadot leading them in song.

Although it was meant to be a heartwarming gesture during the pandemic, Gadot's video actually garnered a significant amount of criticism. Some people thought the video was insensitive, and others urged the wealthy celebrities involved to actually make a donation to coronavirus relief efforts, instead of just singing a song.

O'Dowd said he felt the backlash against the video was "justified," and attributed the misstep to "that first wave of creative diarrhea" that occurred at the start of the pandemic. For the actor, that meant "people running around thinking that they had to do something when we really didn't."

"We just needed to chill out and take everything in," he said.

O'Dowd and the rest of the stars in Gadot's "Imagine" video aren't the only celebrities who've come under fire for their behavior during the pandemic. Other A-listers, like Khloe Kardashian, Ellen DeGeneres, and Madonna have also been criticized for their actions (or lack thereof) amid the pandemic.

• Read more:
• Gal Gadot shared a montage of more than 20 celebrities singing 'Imagine' by John Lennon while quarantining
• People are mocking Gal Gadot's video of celebrities singing 'Imagine' amid the coronavirus pandemic: 'Open your wallets or shut up'
• 17 celebrities who've displayed controversial behavior during the pandemic