Gal Gadot: The Story Behind The Real-Life Wonder Woman
By Rachel Lewis - February 29, 2020
Working In Real-Estate
She took the world by storm when she became Wonder Woman in 2017, and now the world cannot get enough of Gal Gadot. In just over a year, she has become one of the most in-demand women in Hollywood, but what else do we know about the 33-year-old actress? Together with her husband, Yaron Vasano, Gal ran The Vasano Hotel up until 2015. Gal's husband claimed the big-time actress even used to change the bed sheets in the hotel until they sold it for an impressive $26 million.
Her Older Man
We're used to seeing age differences in Hollywood couples, and Gal Gadot and her husband are no different. The 33-year-old's husband is ten years older than her. When they met, Gal was still in her early 20s, and her now-husband was in his early 30s. Gal admits that she felt she was too young to understand things between them at the start, but with her boyfriend being older and having had more experience, he helped their relationship grow and flourish.
She Wanted To Fight For Justice
Gal Gadot may have become the world's Wonder Woman, but before she played the iconic female role, and became a role model for young girls in the process, Gal had her eyes set on something else. Growing up, Gal believed she wanted to be a lawyer and work within that field. She even went to study law, but it was before she completed her first year of studies that she was contacted to audition to be a Bond Girl. Law has been put on hold ever since.
Before The Glamorous Life
Before she was called for an acting audition or began pursuing her dream of becoming a lawyer, Gal was doing what many teenagers do during high school – working an after-school job. Just like many actors when they were teenagers, their after-school job was in no way as glamorous as their life in Hollywood, nor were they a well-known name people wanted to get a photograph with. Gal worked flipping burgers at Burger King before she became a well-known actress and played a superheroine in the box-office hit.
She Does More Than Just Act
Playing Gisele in The Fast and the Furious really put Gal on the map. Gal seemed to be the perfect fit for the role, and even completed her own stunts in the film! With a huge love for motorcycles, Gal was more than happy to learn from experts how to ride. "I was able to practice with the most professional people on Earth, and whatever I did I always felt very safe because I knew that they had my back, so it was easy and was cool," explained Gadot.
When Gal Gadot played the ultimate role of Wonder Woman in the film with the same name, she looked to be in the most perfect shape for a superheroine. What many people may not know, is that Gal was actually five months pregnant when filming the movie! The costume department worked hard to hide the baby bump and used a bright green cloth to do so. Gadot was called back for some reshoots, and some images were later digitally altered in post-production.
Piling On The Pounds
Just like many actors, Gal Gadot had to work hard at getting to the ideal weight for her role and, in her case, she piled on 17 pounds of muscle in preparation to play Wonder Woman. Her training included Brazilian jiu-jitsu, capoeira, and Kung Fu. Gal herself enjoys working out and looking after her health away from work saying, "I believe that what we put in our bodies will reflect on the outside." Therefore, while this sounds challenging, Gal Gadot was the perfect woman to take it on.
It Nearly Turned Out Differently
It is hard to imagine anyone fulfilling the role of Wonder Woman in the same way Gal Gadot did, but at one point, it may have been someone else. With Hollywood being a difficult one to crack, Gal nearly gave up on her acting career before winning over the iconic role. After getting her taste of rejection following losing out to Olga Kurylenko for the role of Bond Girl, Gal considered giving up on acting altogether. Fortunately, she stuck around and became internationally known as Wonder Woman.
The Director Had Her Doubts
Wonder Woman director, Patty Jenkins, initially had her doubts about Gal Gadot taking the lead role. She confessed to her heart sinking when she read the casting announcement and admitted she would not have made the same choice. In the end, however, Jenkins was more than happy with Gadot playing the lead role of Wonder Woman and said it was her work ethic, talent, and kindness, that changed her thoughts. Of course, now, she thinks Gadot was a perfect choice.
Wonder What We're Doing Here
Gal Gadot has gone on to become an international superstar since playing the role of Wonder Woman, arguably making that her biggest role to date. However, Gal had no idea she was auditioning for the role when director Zack Snyder casually asked her to do a camera test along with seven other actresses. Gal admitted to listening to Beyoncé beforehand and liked to think that it was Queen B's music that got her all fired up and ready to go, subsequently winning her the role.
A Surprising Paycheck
You would think for a film that earned a whopping $821.8 million on its opening day alone, the lead actor would get quite a large paycheck. However, despite the huge earnings, and being the highest-grossing opening day for a movie directed by a woman, Gal got just $300,000 for her role! Of course, that is not just a few pennies, but compared to the paycheck other actors have received for their role as a superhero, we were expecting it to be higher for Gal.
She Found Love In… A Desert
Unlike many Hollywood couple's love stories, such as they met on set or because they work in the same industry, Gal Gadot's was completely different. Gal explained in an interview with Glamor in 2016 that she and her husband met through mutual friends while at a desert party ten years earlier. "It was all about yoga, chakras, and eating healthy—we didn't exactly find ourselves there, but we found each other," she explained. Sometimes you do find love in places you least expected.
Always Working For More
Gal Gadot may be known to the world as Wonder Woman, but even the famous actress can admit to her faults, as well as her good traits. During an interview with Marie Claire Magazine, Gal confesses to being somewhat of a control freak, especially when it comes to keeping her house clean and organized. She also mentioned that she can be pretty competitive and always wants to achieve more than she has. That can work in her favor in the acting world, as she'll work hard for more.
Keeping Business and Pleasure Separate
Gal has been with her husband for the past twelve years and has been married to him for the last ten. The famous actress married Yaron Varsano in 2008, and the couple has since welcomed two children together – daughters Alma, 5, and Maya, born this year. Over the years, Gal has decided to no longer show her children's faces, choosing instead to keep them private and out of the spotlight. She does sometimes show snippets of them, or the back of their heads, but no longer their faces.
A Woman Of Many Talents
It is no surprise Gal Gadot was chosen as the role of Wonder Woman because she has proven to be a lady of many talents. Not only is she undeniably gorgeous, an excellent actress, and a role model for women all over the world, but she can sing too! One of the first times Gal appeared on-screen was as a dancing and singing mermaid. For a charity event special in 2009, Gal wore a seashell bra and got into her role as the mermaid.
She has, of course, featured on billboards all around the world, more often than not appearing in her Wonder Woman outfit, but Gal Gadot has done plenty of commercials. She promoted the fashion brand Castro for five years back in 2009, as well as featured in commercials for Huawei, Revlon, and Careline. Moreover, she has promoted a wide range of products from beauty brands and smartphones to video games and sunglasses during her career, and we don't think we're going to be seeing the end of her any time soon.
A Whizz In The Kitchen
With all the talents and success Gal Gadot has, it is hard to believe she has any time left in her day for a bit of "me time." However, Gal Gadot has confessed that she has a passion for food. "I love watching cooking shows, I can watch them for hours; I'm a good cook," she explained. Therefore, when she is not doing one of her multiple job roles, looking after her children, or attending celebrity bashes, Gal is most likely cooking up a storm in her kitchen.
Support From Her Co-Stars
Gal Gadot's co-stars even support the multi-talented actress. Ben Affleck, her co-star from Justice League said, "It was clear that not only could she do it, but we really needed to have her; that she could make something great out of this character that is actually a lot harder to play than it looks. Not veering into camp or overly serious—it's a really fine line to draw. And she's also breaking ground as a female superhero carrying a movie. There was a lot of pressure on her."
All She Needs Is Love
She may be Wonder Woman, but even Wonder Woman needs a supportive man. "The boyfriend in high school I had been with for four years, we went our separate ways, and I was fine with that," she says. "But then I had another relationship and another relationship, and they were all older than me, and they kept on breaking up with me! And I'm like a Labrador puppy—I just need to be with someone, be loved and hugged. I love to laugh. I don't like to be by myself."
Her Influence In Hollywood
Having found international fame as Gisele Yashar in The Fast and the Furious franchise and going on to portray Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and Wonder Woman, Gal has proved her worth in Hollywood. So much so, that in 2018, Time included Gal on their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Not bad for someone who is relatively new to the business, proving there is a lot more to see of Gal in the future.
Despite Gal only being in her early 20s when she met her now-husband, the famous actress explained that Yaron Versano told her on their second date that he would propose to her in two years. Most people would laugh at the sound of such a thing but, according to Gal, Yaron was sure of their relationship and knew what he wanted in the future. After meeting in 2006, Yaron proposed in 2008 and the pair got married – just like he said!
Her Daughter Is Completely Unfazed
During an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Gal explained that her daughter, Alma, is completely unfazed. Imitating Alma, Gal said "Listen, we've been to London. It was amazing. I was working on set, too, but I was 4…3…4…so I didn't do all the takes. It was cold. And they dressed me like a poor girl, and I didn't want to do it because I don't want to be famous. But honestly, every woman is Wonder Woman. My mom is just the biggest one because she does the movie."
Her Husband's Inspiration
Gal's husband and his brother were the owners of The Versano Hotel, but if it was not for Gal, the hotel might have never happened. During an interview in 2011, Gal explained that she and husband traveled a lot during her filming of The Fast and the Furious. She continued, "We found ourselves staying in hotels all the time. We wanted to feel at home, which is when we discovered these apartments within a hotel in Los Angeles. It became the inspiration for Yaron's hotel, The Varsano."
Feminist Icon
Wonder Woman always has, and always will be, a feminist icon. Following the success of the movie in 2017, Wonder Woman's feminist power has been stronger than ever, and it makes sense for Gal, who played her, to become the outspoken feminist herself. Through social media, she has been an advocate for equal pay and part of the Time's Up movement. Moreover, her husband, Yaron, has used his Instagram to express his support for the feminist causes, which is no surprise since he is married to Wonder Woman himself.
She Was Once A Soldier
To add to her impressive resume, Gal Gadot also served as a soldier several years back. The famous actress spent two years as a combat trainer in the IDF after finishing high school and before attending university and finding fame. It was probably her training that prompted her to live a healthy lifestyle and continue working out to secure her enviable figure – one that played a role in securing her the part in Wonder Woman.
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