Wonder Woman 1984’s Gal Gadot: the Israeli DC Comics superhero talks playing a #MeToo-era goddess and feminist idol for her 2 young daughters – interview
From starring opposite Ben Affleck in DC Comics superhero films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Wonder Woman, to her former life as a soldier, Israeli actress Gal Gadot has proven her metal, both on-screen and in real life – here she talks about the importance of positive feminism, bringing up her two young girls, and portraying superhero character Diana Prince
As a former soldier, law graduate and beauty queen, Gal Gadot’s backstory already reads a little like that of a comic book character. So perhaps it is fitting that this one-time Miss Israel was given her break on the big screen as one of the DC Universe’s most iconic creations: Wonder Woman.
And while the character’s initial appearance was in Zack Snyder’s less than fantastically received Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , Gadot’s first solo outing as the Amazonian protagonist in 2017’s Wonder Woman was nothing less than an enormous, box office-shattering success.
Every woman should be a feminist – he heart of this term signifies freedom of choice, equality and freedom, and Wonder Woman represents all of that
“People were waiting for a female-driven story [told] in such an authentic way,” the 35-year-old Gadot says. “It’s funny to say the word ‘authentic’, because she’s a superhero, but we were telling the story from a female perspective and we made sure the story was universal. For men, women, boys, girls, everyone.
“She wasn’t this tough, bad-ass woman who had it all figured out. She had fears and worries, and we enjoyed exploring her imperfections and vulnerabilities. Those are the things that are truthful in humankind. We were able to make the character grounded this way and be accessible and approachable.”
Now she’s about to take Diana Prince and her crimson-and-gold-clad alter ego to the next level in the highly anticipated sequel Wonder Woman 1984 , the release of which was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and is tentatively scheduled for December 2020.
“In the first movie, she really is a fish out of water,” she acknowledges. “It was the coming-of-age story of Diana and how she became Wonder Woman. Now, in Wonder Woman 1984 she’s been around for six decades, helping make the world a better place. She’s wiser. She’s more mature. She’s guarded, but she’s also struggled.
“She’s very lonely and doesn’t want to engage with people because she doesn’t want to be hurt by losing them again. Even though she lost all of her friends throughout the years she’s still doing the right thing. But she is different than when we last saw her.”