By Wonderwall.com Editors
8:12am PDT, Mar 15, 2018
Gal Gadot made quite an impact as Amazon warrior Diana Prince — aka Wonder Woman — in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice." As the first actress to play a live-action version of the character since Lynda Carter embodied the demigod on television's "Wonder Woman," which aired from 1975 to 1979, she had some big boots to fill — and she nailed it. In 2017, she got a movie of her own, "Wonder Woman," which made $800 million at the worldwide box office. Wonderwall.com rounded up a few things you might not know (but should!) about the actress who brings our favorite female superhero to life. Keep reading to get the scoop on Gal…
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2. She's good at playing tough
Wonder Woman isn't Gal Gadot's first tough-lady role. Speaking about her part as Gisele in "Fast & Furious 6," she said she felt a lot of responsibility to make the character a good role model for girls. "I wanted to show that women are empowered and strong, and don't necessarily have to be saved by some male hero, but they can take care of themselves using their intelligence and their power," she told Jspace News in 2013. Gal first appeared in 2009's "Fast & Furious," the fourth film in the franchise, and reappeared in "Fast Five" and "Fast & Furious 6." And did we mention she did all her own stunts?
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3. She's no stranger to failure
Gal Gadot auditioned for the part of Bond girl Camille Montes in "Quantum of Solace" but didn't get it. (The role went to Olga Kurylenko.)
4. She wanted to be a lawyer
Gal Gadot attended law school but dropped out after a year to pursue an acting career. She told Interview magazine that if she ever goes back to school, she'd want to study "film or art history or something more in that direction."
5. She has a military background
For two years, Gal Gadot served in the Israel Defense Forces — it's mandatory for the country's citizens, even women — where she worked as a gym trainer on one of its bases.
6. She competed for Miss Universe
Gal Gadot was Miss Israel 2004. She was 18 when she won the title and went on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant.
7. She doesn't let critics get to her anymore
Gal Gadot has endured her fair share of criticism, especially after she was cast as Wonder Woman. "They said that I was too skinny, and my boobs were too small," she told Ynet News in 2015. "After they asked me here, in Israel, if I have eating disorders and why am I so skinny — they said my head was too big and my body was like a broomstick — I can take anything. It's just empty talk. I understand that part of what I'm doing means being exposed. And part of being exposed is being under fire." She's since learned to let it roll off her back. "When I was younger, I would take criticism really hard," she added. "But now it mostly amuses me."
8. She used to ride motorcycles
Gal Gadot was once an avid motorcycle rider. But she told Interview magazine that she's done taking risky pleasure rides now that she's a mother.
9. Her name isn't pronounced how you think
Say it with us: Guh-DOTE. While most people pronounce her name without the T sound — like dough, Brigitte Bardot or "Waiting for Godot" — that's actually wrong. "More T at the end," Gal chided Jimmy Kimmel during an appearance on his late-night show in 2016 after he'd introduced her incorrectly. As for the meaning of her name, Gal told the talk-show host that her first name means wave and her last name means riverbank. Beautiful!
10. She stands up for what she believes in
In November 2017, it was reported that Gal Gadot had refused to sign on for the "Wonder Woman" sequel if Brett Ratner, whose company co-financed the first film through a deal with Warner Bros., was involved again. The news came after multiple sexual misconduct allegations were lodged against the Hollywood mega-producer (including by actresses Olivia Munn and Natasha Henstridge). Gal — who in October 2017 pulled out of a dinner honoring Brett — later discussed the story during an appearance on "Today," explaining, "Everyone knows the way that I feel because I'm not hiding anything. But the truth is, there's so many people involved in making this movie, and they all echo the same sentiments." Brett, who's denied claims of bad behavior, and Warner Bros. severed ties in November, which effectively removed him as a producer on the sequel.
