Wonder Woman: 10 Things Fans Didn’t Know About Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot rose to fame internationally when she started working on the DC Extended Universe movies, playing Wonder Woman. She started in the franchise with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016, and then went on to star in Wonder Woman’s solo film the following year.

But before DCEU, Gal already had a very interesting career and life not many fans may know about. As an actress, she was a part of several important projects that to this day she’s recognized for. On a personal level, she’s had a lot of experiences that have helped her grow and can be very inspiring for other people.

10 Miss Israel

The actress’s beauty is no secret, and the world has admired her for a long time. When she was young, she started competing in beauty pageants, and at the age of 18, she won the title of Miss Israel 2004.

The prize was a crown and a Citroën C3 supermini car. But she didn’t stop there. After having won that year, she went on to represent Israel in the Miss Universe beauty pageant. This propelled her career as a model, and she accomplished many things in that area before becoming an actress.

9 She Served In The Army

As many people know, Gal Gadot was born and raised in Israel, where military service is mandatory. So after she turned 20, she enrolled in the Israeli army, where she served for two years. Apparently, her performance during the first few months was outstanding, so she quickly became a combat trainer.

When asked about it, Gal said that her military experience helped her learn about discipline, respect, and giving back to your country. Additionally, she said: “The army wasn’t that difficult for me. The military gave me good training for Hollywood.”

8 She Was The Face Of Gucci

By 2015, Gal Gadot was an internationally acclaimed model, and she was working for some of the most important lines in the world. It was during that year that she was chosen to be the face of Gucci Bamboo, a fragrance “soft yet intense, the scent blooms with notes of exotic Casablanca lily and Tahitian vanilla, balanced with sandalwood and grey amber.”

According to Vogue, Gal Gadot was the perfect choice to represent a perfume that was not only original but also multifaceted.

7 She Performed Her Own Stunts

One of the first big acting jobs Gal had was the role of Gisele Yashar in Fast & Furious, in 2009. Having experience in military training and being as fit and athletic as she was, she decided to do a big part of the character’s stunts herself.

It wasn’t initially a serious idea, Gal said, but it ended up working out well. “I went to (director) Justin (Lin), and I was half-joking, but I told him, ‘Listen, if you want me in Fast 6, you better give me some stunts to do!’ And it happened.”

6 Time Magazine

In 2018, Gal Gadot was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her article was written by Lynda Carter, who portrayed Wonder Woman in the 70s, and had this to say about her fellow actress:

“Wonder Woman has helped transform how women and girls see themselves since she emerged on a TV show in 1975. She represents what we know is inside every one of us: fierce strength, a kind heart, and incredible valor. Gal understood and captured the spirit of this complex, independent, fully feminine persona. I applaud her for all of her success.”

5 She Was Pregnant While Shooting Wonder Woman

If her work in Wonder Woman was impressive before, it’s even more when reading Gal Gadot was five months pregnant while she did it. “On close-up I looked very much like Wonder Woman,” the actress said. “On wide shots I looked very funny, like Wonder Woman pregnant with Kermit the Frog.”

The crew had to make several changes to her costume and there were some postproduction changes made, but it didn’t affect the process much. Director Patty Jenkins joked about Gal being able to tell her daughter she was in a movie before she was even born.

4 She’s A Producer

In 2019, Gal and her husband Yaron Varsano founded a production company named Pilot Wave, and their first two projects are a historical thriller about humanitarian Irena Sendler, and a series about Hedy Lamarr, the actress and inventor.

Gal Gadot will star and co-produce both of them. “As producers, we want to help bring stories that have inspired us to life,” the couple said. “Pilot Wave will create content that promotes the perspectives and experiences of unique people and produce impactful stories aimed at igniting the imagination.”

3 UN Honorary Ambassador

In 2016, in the 75th anniversary of the first appearance of Wonder Woman in the DC comics, the superheroine was named UN Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. The ceremony was, of course, attended by Gal, along with actress Lynda Carter, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson, and the director of Wonder Woman, Patty Jenkins.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, Cristina Gallach, said that “Wonder Woman will be another valuable partner for us to achieve such a world by inspiring her millions of fans worldwide to stand up for gender equality.” Unfortunately, due to disagreements, the designation didn’t last long, but it was definitely an important gesture.

2 True Wonder Woman

Thank you ⁦@GalGadot⁩ for visiting us ⁦@InovaHealth⁩ Children’s Hospital. You are a true Wonder Woman. The kids loved it…and so did the staff 😉 #wonderwoman84 pic.twitter.com/EFDLM02rpf— Dr. Lucas Collazo (@DrCollazo) July 6, 2018

In 2018, while she was shooting Wonder Woman 1984, Gal had a break and decided to make it worth it. Still dressed as the heroine, she went to visit the Inova Children’s Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia.

This was an incredible surprise to all the kids (and adults) that were there, and it surely made them smile through those difficult times. The staff from the hospital was very moved and happy with the actress’s gesture, and Doctor Lucas Collazo even shared the experience on Twitter, thanking Gal publicly.

1 Smartwater

For twelve years, the face of Smartwater was actress Jennifer Aniston. Now, it’s Gal’s moment. It was earlier this year that the actress announced her partnership with the company, and it seems to be going very well.

Celina Li, vice president of water for Coca-Cola North America, talked about why they chose Gal. “(She) embodies what our consumer is looking for, and what Smartwater stands for. She takes a smart approach to well-being, physical, mental, across different moments of her life,” she said.