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Gal Gadot didn’t even think of dabbling in acting, let alone imagined becoming a successful and busy actress, until an out-of-the-blue phone call from her agent, back in 2008, sent her on an unexpected audition for the big-time role of the next James Bond girl. While she didn’t get the part, the new, thrilling experience had resonated with the 29 year-old model and former Miss Israel, who instantaneously decided to embark on an unswerving journey – that would ultimately lead her onto Hollywood stardom.
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, the hugely-anticipated sequel to last year’s Superman reboot film “Man of Steel”, which created an online buzz and initiated a fiery, widespread discussion upon the announcement of its official title last week, will see the blooming Israeli actress portraying the first ever live-action rendition of DC Comics’ popular superheroine Wonder Woman in a feature film.
Gadot, who won the part over actresses Olga Kurylenko of “Quantum of Solace” and Elodie Yung of “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”, has signed a three-picture deal with Warner Bros. and will reprise the role – that would arguably make her a household name – in an upcoming Justice League film, which is currently in development, as well as her very own Wonder Woman standalone film.
“I was just on my way to shooting in Los Angeles. I landed in New York on a connecting flight when my agent, Hadas Lichtenstein, called me”, Gadot told Israeli TV show ‘Good Evening with Guy Pines’ following the announcement. “She says to me, ‘Wonder Woman!’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ ‘The role is yours! And it’s a secret and the news is not yet announced and you can’t tell anyone’. I’m saying to her, ‘Are you serious?’, then we both scream! Now I’m on a plane from Israel to New York and I can’t make loud noises, and so I lean on a window, bending down to my legs, and just try to understand it all.”
The newly minted Wonder Woman’s eventual entrance into the big-league arena was relatively swift. After breaking through with the leading role in the Israeli TV drama “Dolls”, Gadot was asked by Ronna Kress, casting director of “Quantum of Solace” – The Bond film she had previously auditioned for – to audition for a role in the fourth “Fast and Furious” film. Gadot won the part, reportedly beating out six other actresses, and went on to reprise her role in the next two installments of the successful, popular franchise.
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With his eye on a “tall, brunette, athletic and exotic” actress to portray the popular warrior princess of the Amazons in his Ben Affleck-Henry Cavill-starring Batman-Superman crossover film, director Zack Snyder found his Wonder Woman in the form of the action-films-experienced, former-soldier and ex-sports-trainer Gadot.
“Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role”, said Snyder in a statement. “We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character.”
The casting of the willowy actress as Wonder Woman, known for her incredible strength and buff physique, though, has elicited an initial fervent reaction from both fans and critics. The unperturbed Gadot rushed to deflate those concerns, saying that while she does represent “the Wonder Women of the new world”, she is undergoing “a very serious training regime”, reassuring the worried fans that she will “gain body mass”. Amy Adams, who played Lois Lane in Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel”, sounds equally assured. “If she is working with Zack and she is going to be Wonder Woman”, said the Snyder-veteran actress in an interview, “she is going to be yoked, man. He’s going to make her a beast”. Gadot later posted photos of a brawnier-self on her Facebook page and Twitter account to back up the claims.
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” started shooting last week, with a release date set for May 6, 2016.
Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and fashion model. She won the Miss Israel title in 2004 and went on to represent Israel at the 2004 Miss Universe beauty pageant. She is the leading fashion model for the clothing company Castro.
Gadot was born and grew up in Rosh HaAyin, Israel. She served for two years as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces prior to becoming an actress.
In 2008, she married Israeli businessman Yaron Varsano. The couple own a hotel in the Neve Tzedek district of Tel Aviv, and have a daughter, named Alma.
In addition to the her roles in the Fast and Furious franchise and the upcoming Wonder Woman related films, she acted in the feature films “Date Night” and “Knight and Day”, had a recurring role in the Israeli television series “Asfur”, and appeared on an episode of the HBO hit-show “Entourage”.
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