Gal Gadot

Actress Gal Gadot has starred in several 'Fast and Furious' movies and played Wonder Woman in 'Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.' Synopsis Actress Gal Gadot first attracted notice as the winner of Miss Israel in 2004 and went on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. She modeled for a time before undertaking two years of military service. Gadot then studied law for a time before pursuing acting opportunities. Fast & Furious (2009), the fourth installment of The Fast and the Furious franchise, was her first film role. She went on to land more movie parts, including the legendary comic book character Wonder Woman. Gadot played Wonder Woman in 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Early Life

Gal Gadot in Fast & Furious (2009)

Born on April 30, 1985, in Rosh HaAyin, Israel, actress Gal Gadot has appeared in such popular films as Fast & Furious (2009) and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Her father worked as an engineer and her mother was a teacher. Gadot was an athletic child, studying dance and playing several sports in her youth. One of her first career ambitions was to be a choreographer, she told Vanity Fair.

Gal Gadot in  Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

When she was 18 years old, Gadot entered the Miss Israel competition. She thought that being in the beauty pageant “would be a nice experience” but “I never thought I would win,” Gadot explained to Glamour magazine. “I was shocked when they crowned me.” This victory helped launch her career as a model. She then served her mandatory two-year commitment in the Israel Defense Forces. After she completed her service, Gadot went to college to study law.

Thriving Film Career

While in college, Gadot was asked to audition to play the love interest of super spy James Bond in Quantum of Solace (2008). She had several callbacks, but she didn’t get the part. Still the experience sparked her interest in acting. As Gadot told Interview magazine, “I realized it takes a lot to act, and it's so much more interesting than going to law school.” She soon landed a role on an Israeli TV series and then a part in a feature film.

The Fast and the Furious

In 2009, Gadot made her film debut as Gisele in Fast & Furious starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. She returned to play the role in several sequels: Fast Five (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Furious 7 (2015). Gadot soon landed a role of a lifetime when she was cast as Wonder Woman (and her alter ego Diana Prince) in the big budget action film Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Getting into character presented her with some challenges, as she told Jimmy Kimmel on his talk show. At first, her costume “was so tight, I literally could not breathe.” Despite any wardrobe issues, Gadot sees the significance of Wonder Woman as a role model. She explained to Glamour that “it was important for me that we show how independent she is. She is not relying on a man, and she’s not there because of a love story.”

After her role in Batman v. Superman, Gadot will once again play Wonder Woman in her own film, which is set for a 2017 release. She will also be appearing in several upcoming Justice League movies. In addition to her work as Wonder Woman, Gadot also stars with Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Costner in the action drama Criminal (2016) and the upcoming comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses with Isla Fisher and Jon Hamm.