Image Source: Time Magazine, Elle
Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and former Miss Israel who rose to fame with her portrayal of Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe, beginning with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which was followed by a solo film in 2017, "Wonder Woman". Gal has been dubbed as the biggest Israeli superstar by some local media outlets. In 2018, Time magazine has named the actress as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and she has placed twice in annual rankings of the world's highest-paid actresses.
Gal recently, in her candid interview with Véronique Hyland of Elle, spoke about her big break as "Wonder Woman", the treatment on the sets of Justice League, and more. Former Miss Israel revealed that she wanted to be a lawyer while growing up, but it only lasted for a year. She also added that she could not see herself as a lawyer anymore.
The actress shared that when she was roped in for 2009’s "Fast and Furious", she kept auditioning for more roles until she got tired of trying, and just when she was about to give up, Gal landed the role of "Wonder Woman." She mentioned that while she was growing up, she was not a very big fan of comic books, but she understood the need for a female-fronted superhero movie that would be a watershed moment. Gal as "Wonder Woman" performed exceptionally well and the audience wanted more of her. She explained to the editor that her role as Wonder Woman was something that reminded her that it was her chance to shine.
Gal is extremely grateful for landing the role. Image Source: Wallpaper Access
Gal added, "I was extremely grateful. That was my big break." Wonder Woman went on to make $800 million, and Gal ruled over everybody’s hearts and minds in a blink of an eye. The success of the movie led to the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984 and Gal quoted, "if you look at it like a card game, my hand got better. I was willing to drop the ball and not do it if I wasn’t paid fairly." It was reported that Gal made 30-plus times that salary for the follow-up.
One of the things that Gal is not afraid of is speaking up about what is right in her mind and heart. This comes after she spoke up about the mistreatment on the sets of Justice League by Joss Whedon. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Joss Whedon verbally abused Gal when she shared concerns about her characters and dialogue. Joss Whedon did not address the claims, but Gadot said on Israeli TV in May that Whedon "kind of threatened my career and said if I did something, he would make my career miserable."
Asking about the situation, Gal shared, "Oh, I was shaking trees as soon as it happened. And I must say that the heads of Warner Brothers took care of it.... Going back to the sense of righteousness that I have...you’re dizzy because you can’t believe this was just said to you. And if he says it to me, then obviously he says it to many other people. I just did what I felt like I had to do. And it was to tell people that it’s not okay. I would’ve done the same thing, I think, if I were a man. Would he tell me what he told me had I been a man? I don’t know. We’ll never know. But my sense of justice is very strong. I was shocked by the way that he spoke to me. But whatever, it’s done. Water under the bridge."
Justice League co-star Ray Fisher also made his own allegations about Joss Whedon’s toxic behavior. Gal Gadot’s friend and co-star in Wonder Woman 1984, Kristen Wiig, shared that Gal Gadot is not afraid to speak up for herself. She said, "When she needs to wear that hat, she is very clear on what is right. People who think she’s just a pretty face are dead wrong".
A still from Wonder Woman 1984. Image Source: USA Today
Gal is going to star as an art thief in "Red Notice", and talking about her character, she says, "I play an art thief who is not a goody two-shoes. Her agenda is not pure, like some other characters I play". " In Red Notice, Gal comes face-to-face with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson along with Ryan Reynolds. Ryan confirms, "She can go toe to toe with pretty much anybody, even a skin-covered mountain like Dwayne Johnson. She can go big when she needs to; she can reel it in when she needs to. " Gal, who is also a huge fan of Agatha Christie, is also stretching her period-drama muscles with Kenneth Branagh’s latest Agatha Christie adaptation, Death on the Nile.
Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot, and Dwayne Johnson in "Red Notice". Image Source: Variety
The actress is also focused on her passion projects, and through her production company that she co-founded with her husband, Jaron Varsano, "Pilot Wave," she is developing "Cleopatra" as a movie. The famed ruler was an "icon" for her when she was a child growing up in the Middle East. The former supermodel said, "while it’s hardly Hollywood’s first attempt at depicting Cleopatra, "her story needs to be told differently, in the real way, where it celebrates who she was."
She’s also producing and starring in a Hedy Lamarr limited series for Apple TV+ that will explore the Old Hollywood star’s lesser-known role as an inventor. In an era when "women weren’t really allowed to wear pants...she not only wore pants, but she invented things." She recently graced the red carpet at the annual ELLE Women in Hollywood event at Dolby Family Terrace, where she was one of several actresses honored. She began her speech by singing the first few words of "Imagine" by John Lennon—a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the much-criticized video she made with other celebs during the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
The actress said, "We've all heard stories about the Hollywood diva, all of us, and I must say that I've been doing this long enough, and I've never met her. "I feel like she's this mythical creature—because of all the women I've worked with, from cast to crew to production office, have been the most hardworking and grounded professionals who are focused on making the best entertainment possible. On top of that, many women—for many of them—the set is just the first shift of the day. A lot of us are also mothers and caretakers."
The Red Notice actress believes that women (actresses) push themselves hard because things must be gotten done, but, "We're not driven; we are the drivers. I so admire how devoted women are to both their careers and their home lives. We are so amazing that we hardly have any time for ourselves... What I'm trying to say is that we don't feel like we can let go because we're not there yet. Still, for me, I don't take anything for granted."
She also spoke about the myth of the Hollywood diva and said, "I feel like she's this mythical creature—because of all the women I've worked with, from cast to crew to production office, have been the most hardworking and grounded professionals who are focused on making the best entertainment possible."
Information Source: Elle
