Amazing Amazon

Meet Batman V Superman’s Warrior Woman, Gal Gadot...

How did you end up landing the role?

It’s been a long process. It started when I was back in Los Angeles and I was told I had a very important audition for a Warner Bros production, but no one said what it was. After a month or two months, they called me and said that they wanted to test me for this movie. It’s crazy, because you feel like you’re working with the CIA because everything is so confidential. And then, a week later, Zack Snyder called me. He said, “OK, I’m not sure you have it in Israel or how big it is in Israel, but have you heard of Wonder Woman?” And then my jaw literally dropped. I died for a few seconds, then I went back to life. [ laughs] Then I tried to get back my coolest voice, and not talk like I’m shaky and overwhelmed.

What was your knowledge of Wonder Woman growing up? Was she well-known in Israel?

Wonder Woman’s a household name, I think, everywhere. She’s an icon. I wasn’t born during the Wonder Woman show with Lynda Carter, so I didn’t get to see that, but I did watch the cartoon. And of course, after I got the role, I started to watch all the Lynda Carter series with Wonder Woman and she was fantastic. I absolutely love her. But it was a no-brainer. Everyone in Israel knows who Wonder Woman is.

Do you try and get those other interpretations like Lynda Carter out of your mind when it comes to doing your own version?

I think that the Linda Carter version was very relevant back in the ’70s. Now, Zack Snyder is in collaboration with Patty Jenkins, who’s going to direct [ the solo Wonder Woman] movie. All of us want to evolve the character because what you saw back then, you’ve already seen. So we’re going to give it another layer of interpretation and make her a bit more relevant and a bit more up to date.

How did it feel the first time all three of you were in costume together?

It was crazy! You don’t do fittings together. You do them separately. But the first time they shot the trio, it was almost magical. On the one hand, when you think about it realistically, it’s kind of weird to stand there, all three of us dressed as superheroes. And then, when we started to shoot, Ben became Batman, Henry became Superman, and I became Wonder Woman. I can’t even express in words how excited I was.

How does it feel to be starting on your solo film before Batman V Superman’s even released?

It feels amazing, but for some reason, I feel like it’s not for me. The Wonder Woman story is a story that needs to be told. I’m so happy that it’s me to tell this story. I think that there’s no better time than now, and it’s about time that we showed this amazing heroine on the big screen.

You’ve got a varied slate of films coming up...

I feel it keeps you flexible to do very different types… Keeping Up With The Joneses is an actioncomedy. Criminal and Triple 9 are drama, almost crime, movies. As long as the story is good and I like the character, I will do it. I’m not just a onetype genre actress. And I’m very curious. I like to explore different genres.