Gal Gadot has slayed as ‘Wonder Woman’ since 2016 but the actress seeks to get a complete career overhaul.
Gal Gadot took the world by storm as Diana aka Wonder Woman first in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘ and then in Patty Jenkins’ ‘Wonder Woman’. She has solidified her identity to such an extent that Gal Gadot and Wonder Woman have become synonymous with each other. But the Israeli actress does not plan on being known only as the superheroine.
HIGHLIGHTS —
- Gal Gadot’s journey to ‘Wonder Woman’
- Gal Gadot looking past ‘Wonder Woman’
WONDROUS GAL GADOT
After getting started in show business with modelling and winning the title of Miss Israel, Gal Gadot had decided to enter Hollywood. Although she was rejected for a coveted role in the James Bond franchise, she ended up doing three ‘Fast & Furious‘ films.
Finally, the actress decided to audition for DCEU’s Wonder Woman. Luckily, Gal Gadot’s place got fixed in the audition itself without there being any doubts about her identity as Wonder Woman, as recalled by director Zack Snyder himself.
Zack Snyder had revealed how Gal Gadot did not leave any room for another actress during her audition with Ben Affleck. The filmmaker had elaborated,
“In casting, (Ben Affleck) is doing the scene like this [serious face], and then (Gal Gadot) says (the line) and he goes [looks at the camera and raises eyebrows] ‘whoa’. And it was awesome because we were just like, ‘I guess this is Wonder Woman’. You kind of got checkmated there, so, I guess we’re done with the casting”.
Even ‘Wonder Woman’ director Patty Jenkins expressed that although her “heart sank” because she didn’t get to make the choice for Wonder Woman, ultimately, as she watched Gadot, the actress turned out to be a “magical gift” for her.
Indeed, Gal Gadot’s ‘Wonder Woman’ was received with rapturous applause by the audience. Women resonated so much with her character that many cried in theatres. Gadot found herself amidst a legend-in-making as ‘Wonder Woman’ garnered $103 million at the box office.
MOVING ON
Despite Gal Gadot’s success as Wonder Woman, she wants the viewers to forget that she is just Princess Diana of Themyscira. The actress is fearful of being typecast in one role. She wants to explore more characters and stories.
For Gal Gadot, ‘Wonder Woman’ is not the pinnacle for her career but just an exciting start as she revealed to “GQ”,
“It’s funny ’cause I feel like I’m just in my beginning. After ten years [of acting], now I’m starting”.
Yet the actress reprised the role twice (and if we take ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ into account, thrice) in the DC Extended Universe. While the actress brilliantly led Snyder Cut as a key character — better than her male counterparts, some would say — ‘Wonder Woman 1984‘ bombed among fans.
The film’s plot was all over the place and Gal Gadot herself could not rise to the emotional voltage required of her. The film got so warped in the period setting that it fell apart. A third standalone film with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman also seems far-fetched due to the restrictions created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Given all these factors, Gal Gadot’s sentiments of leaving behind her Wonder Woman identity are just. The actress has expressed,
“It’s not that all I want to do for the rest of my life is Wonder Woman. Obviously no”.
The actress has been so occupied with her commitments to the DC Extended Universe that she has had little time to take up other projects during this time. But the actress has finally signed two exciting films to make her fans forget that she is only suited as Wonder Woman.
Firstly, she is starring in Netflix’s ‘Red Notice’ alongside Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson. In addition, she will be seen in the mystery thriller ‘Death on the Nile’.
There’s no harm in the Israeli actress trying her hands in different genres. However, one can’t help but yearn for another solo ‘Wonder Woman’ film featuring Gal Gadot.
Do you think it is the end of the road for Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman or does she have more wonder left in her for the DCEU?
