Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably know that 2017's Wonder Woman movie
has taken the world by storm.
Finally, we have a female superhero in her own successful film.
While audiences might now be familiar with star Gal Gadot, they may not realize how incredibly
interesting her life has been.
Here are a few things from her life that prove Gadot is a lot more than just a pretty face.
Israeli roots
Gal Gadot was born in Rosh HaAyin, Israel on April 30th, 1985.
Her mother worked as a teacher, her father was an engineer, and her grandparents were
survivors of the Holocaust.
Athletically-inclined as a child, Gadot played sports and studied dance, including ballet,
hip-hop, modern, and jazz, and once aspired to be a choreographer.
It's no surprise that she's blessed with the ability to move her body fluidly; her first
name means "wave" and her last name means "riverbank."
Beauty queen
A talent scout spotted Gadot and encouraged her to participate in the 2004 Miss Israel
competition, which she easily won.
Gadot admitted that she didn't even actually want to win, telling Glamour magazine,
"I never thought I would win.
I was shocked when they crowned me."
After that, Gadot intentionally sabotaged herself during the Miss Universe competition.
"So I did anything I could not to win, so I…
I came down late, I wasn't wearing the evening gowns, I didn't wear any makeup."
Although she didn't want to win Miss Universe, the experience ended up launching her modeling
career.
Law and order
Before Gadot began her acting career, she went to school to study law, then served in
the Israel Defense Forces for two years, where she worked as a combat instructor.
She couldn't escape modeling, even during her time in the IDF, and was included in Maxim's
2007 "Women of the Israeli Army" feature.
This was just the beginning of the media attention Gadot would receive.
Over the years, she's modeled for many campaigns and was recently named the face of Gucci's
Bamboo perfume.
Babes and Bond
Bubot, which translates to "Babes" in English, may have been a short-lived series in Israel,
but it helped Gal Gadot gain some experience and visibility.
The scripted show followed the lives of models and only lasted for a season, but it was the
future actress' first acting job.
Godot took the small-time role after the casting director of Quantum of Solace invited her
to audition to be a Bond girl.
She declined, but the encounter seems to have been a turning point in her career.
After finishing her first year in school, she abandoned her studies to appear in her
first film, Fast & Furious, thanks to the same, very persistent casting director.
Love and marriage
Around the same time she was appearing in her first feature film, Gadot and businessman
Yaron Varsano were introduced by mutual friends when they attended an offbeat party in the
desert.
While they didn't necessarily buy into the gathering's theme of practicing yoga, clearing
chakras, and eating a healthy diet, they were definitely into each other.
Gadot told Glamour,
"I think I [knew he was the one], but I was too young to get it.
He did.
He's 10 years older than me.
He told me on our second date he was serious and wasn't going to wait more than two years
to ask me to marry him.
Fast-forward two years; he proposed.
We were married in 2008."
The pair have two daughters: Alma, who was born in 2011, and Maya, who joined the family
in 2017.
Big screen
After wowing moviegoers in the Fast & Furious franchise, Gal Gadot has also delivered some
memorable performances in smaller roles.
Notably, Gadot played a henchwoman in Knight and Day, where she easily fit in with the
film's big stars, Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.
Changing gears, Gadot appeared as Natanya, one of many love interests in Date Night.
Gadot also appeared in an episode of Entourage as Lisa, a supermodel who has the misfortune
of dating Vincent Chase.
But the best was yet to come.
Burgers and ice cream
Getting in shape for a superhero movie isn't an easy feat, but Gal Gadot has it covered.
To take on the role of Diana Prince, she gained 17 pounds.
Obviously, she worked out a lot, incorporating a variety of martial arts and paddle boarding.
Despite how seriously she takes her job, Gadot also embraces her inner "foodie."
While she says that she looks at food as fuel for her body, she also indulges in favorite
treats: "burgers and ice cream."
She explained to Harper's Bazaar:
"I don't restrict myself, I can eat everything.
It's all a matter of measurements and quantity of the food; Just give the food the respect
and give yourself the respect to enjoy it."
Dawn of Justice
There was a lot of hype about Batman versus Superman: Dawn of Justice, and most of it
leading up to the release focused on the men in the starring roles.
To everyone's surprise, it was Gal Gadot's portrayal of Wonder Woman that was a showstopper.
Her appearance laid the foundation for her standalone Wonder Woman film, and while many
questioned the box office draw of a standalone female superhero movie, Wonder Woman delivered
big time at the box-office, raking in over $101 million domestically during its opening
weekend.
That makes it the biggest opener for a film directed by a woman.
Of course, it's not just about ticket sales.
Critics and audiences have heaped on the praise as well.
Gadot is signed on for at least two more DC films, so we can't wait to see how her stunning
and amazing transformation continues for years to come!
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