This weekend’s release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice marks the debut of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Although Ben Affleck’s Batman and Henry Cavill’s Superman are the main protagonists, Gadot’s character will play a prominent role in upcoming DC films, including her own standalone movie scheduled for release next year. This is Gadot’s most high-profile acting appearance to date, so it’s worth taking some time to learn more about the actress who will be portraying the iconic Lasso of Truth-wielding superhero.
Let’s start with the basics: we need to get the pronunciation of Gal Gadot’s name straight. According to the actress herself, the correct way to say it is Gal Guh-DOT, using Hebrew phonetics. Gadot was born and raised in Rosh HaAyin, Israel, and her name carries a water theme, with “Gal” meaning “wave” in Hebrew and “Gadot” meaning “riverbanks.” As is customary for Israeli citizens, Gadot served in the Israel Defense Forces for two years, where she worked as a combat instructor.
Gal Gadot, who is now the brand ambassador of Gucci’s Bamboo perfume, had started her career as a model after winning the Miss Israel crown in 2004. Her hard work paid off when she became the second-highest paid model in Israel in 2013, earning a whopping 2,400,000 Israeli shekels ($625,619) that year, according to Forbes Israel.
My Mom, The Wonder Woman
Gal Gadot tied the knot with Yaron Varsano back in 2008 and they have a lovely daughter together, Alma, who was born in 2011. While Gadot is surely racking up big bucks as an actress, thanks to her blockbuster hit, Wonder Woman, her husband isn’t far behind. He happens to be a successful real estate developer, having sold a hotel in Tel Aviv to Roman Abramovich for a jaw-dropping $26 million! Their family calls Tel Aviv their home sweet home.
Gal Gadot, who now embodies Wonder Woman in the DC film universe, has had prior experience with being part of a successful film franchise. She played Gisele, a former Mossad agent who falls for Sung Kang’s character Han, in the Fast & Furious franchise. In Fast & Furious 6, Gisele made the ultimate sacrifice to save Han. Additionally, Gadot has acted in several Israeli TV series such as Kathmandu, Asfur, and Bubot.