Gal Gadot's story is part fairy-tale, part action movie but 100% amazing. After the huge success of Wonder Woman, she is now one of the hottest stars in Hollywood and with more films with the character scheduled, she is going to remain in that place for at least the foreseeable future. Despite all the exposure, though, she is still an unknown quantity for many, as she hasn't been in the spotlight quite as much as others. So, this is your chance to find out everything you need to know about Gal Gadot, from her past as a model, to her almost becoming a lawyer; and from her wedding, a real estate developer, to her workout routine. Here is everything about Gal Gadot!
Growing Up In Rosh HaAyin, Israel, She Was A Tomboy
Born in the town of Petha Tikva, Gal Gadot grew up in nearby RoshHaAyin with her parents. Even when young, she was a tomboy, playing basketball and even breaking the occasional finger. As the child of a typical Jewish middle-class family, she was expected to go to a university like her parents, perhaps become a doctor or a lawyer, then start a family. Nobody could have imagined little Gal would become a model, before conquering the big screen. But even as a little girl, it was obvious that she would become a beautiful woman.
Her Name Means 'Wave" In Hebrew
Gal Gadot's name has a story on its own. As her ancestors lived in Europe, her father's original surname was “Greenstein,” It was changed to something he thought of as more appropriate, becoming “Gadot,” which means “riverbank.” Many Jews who returned to Israel changed their names, either to erase a legacy of discrimination in foreign lands or to forge a new, unique identity in their new life. “Gal,” her first name, means “wave,” as if her parents already sensed she would make waves both as a fashion model and as an actress.
She Was Miss Israel 2004
After finishing school, Gal decided to compete in the Miss Israel pageant, which made sense, considering she looked like a model. She won the title at age 18 and then took part in the Miss Universe contest in 2004. She attracted a lot of attention, but there were other things on her mind before she would even think of working in the fashion world. For a few years, her world would consist of textbooks and exams as a university student. But there was something she had to do even before that, that sets her apart from almost any other model and actress...
She Served As A Fitness Trainer In The IDF
In Israel, serving in the armed forces is not a decision, it's the law. Whether one is a model, doctor or a construction worker, he or she has to serve the country, and that includes women. Gal was conscripted in the Israeli Defense Force and spent the next two years in Army fatigues. Before you start thinking of raunchy “women in skimpy military outfits” images, think again. She was a physical fitness specialist, helping train recruits under the hot sun of the Middle East, exchanging her makeup and fashionable clothes for combat boots, a khaki uniform, and an assault rifle.
The Fast & Furious Franchise Was Her Big Break
It would appear that her experience as a soldier proved quite useful for her and not only in the sense that it instilled a sense of discipline, respect and order in her. It was a trait that impressed the director of Fast & Furious, Justin Lin, who wanted a beautiful actress that could also be convincing as a fighter. She also had experience with firearms, something that your average model/actress lacks. The Fast And The Furious franchise was her big break as an actress and it not only put quite a bit of money in her bank account, but it also put her on the table as an action gal for studios to keep an eye out.
She Does Her Own Stunts
As if her tough image needs any more bolstering, or perhaps to change the idea that models are frail and weak, Gal Gadot does her own stunts in the action films she's in. All the crazy things you see her do in Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6, that wasn't a stunt double. We're more than sure that, as her star value increases, studios and producers will be a lot more limiting in what she's allowed to do. An accident wouldn't just take her out of filming, it could also increase her accident insurance and health insurance (all actors are insured in films and if they can't be insured, they don't act), driving up production costs.
She Puts Motherhood Above Everything Else
Even though she does things that could be considered an indicator of mental illness in the movies, outside of them, she's very careful and reserved. She wasn't always, but as the mother of two girls, she believes she can no longer afford to be careless. She no longer rides motorcycles, she takes care of her health, diet, doesn't do drugs or drink alcohol in excess, and follows her doctor's advice. Experiencing new things is great but motherhood is a life-changing experience as well and the chance of not being there for your child because of a stupid accident is not worth all the excitement in the world.
She Came Very Close To Being A Lawyer Instead Of An Actress
As we mentioned earlier, her original life plan (and if we believe Woody Allen's idea of Jewish families, her parents' plan as well) was for her to become a respectable lawyer. She studied law at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, a private research college in Israel. When she was first approached to audition for a film, she was opposed to the idea and needed a lot of convincing to even try. But as soon as she got a taste of acting, she found her calling. We, for one, are glad she is an actress instead of a defense attorney or an international trade lawyer.
She's Open About Her Support Of Women In Hollywood
What kind of a strong, independent woman would she be if she shied away from sharing her opinions? Gal has spoken openly about her firm belief in the equality of the genders and identifies as a feminist. She has always pushed for her characters in films to be more than pretty faces with fancy clothes. She herself is a testament to what women can achieve - an educated woman, a working mother, a talented actress, a former soldier, and a successful professional.
She Helped Her Husband Run A 5-Star Hotel
Apart from working as a model and actress, Gal has been involved in business as well. She and her husband used to own "The Varsano," a 5-star hotel in Tel Aviv. It's a beautiful 19th-century building consisting of a main house and three smaller villas on the property that spanned 16,145 square feet. Gal was helping her husband run the place, getting into every part of the operation, including folding bedsheets if need be. They sold the hotel to billionaire Roman Abramovich, who finds himself in Tel Aviv regularly and decided to make an investment in some local real estate.
She Is The Mother Of Two Daughters
Amid all the chaos of being a fashion model, making films, running the hotel and everything else, she found the time -and courage- to become a mother. In 2011, Gal gave birth to a baby girl that they named Alma. After that, she became more responsible and cut down on most risky behaviors in her life (perhaps even going as far as creating a trust fund for her daughter and taking out a life insurance) as her daughter took center stage in her life. In 2017, she gave birth to a second daughter, Maya. Two children mean twice the expenses and sending them both to Harvard or Yale might require some financial planning on her part.
She Broke The Habit Of Wonder Woman Being Portrayed By Americans
Wonder Woman in the comics is not an American but an Amazon, a mythical tribe of superhuman women. With Hollywood being in America, on the other hand, in both adaptations of the character, the role has gone to an American, first Cathy Lee Crosby and then Lynda Carter. Gal Gadot is the first non-American who has portrayed the character and before the movie came out, there was a lot of discussion on whether she was the right choice or not. Everything from her accent to her height was commented upon. Some suggested she needed some weight gain to look buffer and a few even said she needed breast augmentation surgery to better fit the part. In the end, she nailed it.
She's The Face Of Gucci's "Bamboo" Perfume
After the world started noticing her with the Fast & Furious films, Gucci was one of the major brands that saw the potential in this rising star. In 2015, they signed her as the face of their new perfume, Bamboo. In the commercial, Gal appeared both dressed in stylish clothes, wearing expensive jewelry, and in skin-toned clothing, showing off her impressive figure. It was a smart move by Gucci as with the success of Wonder Woman, the money she would demand from such an endorsement would multiply.
She Almost Became A Bond Girl
One of the first offers she got for a movie was while still at college, studying to become a lawyer. Her picture was seen by a casting director who was looking for someone to play the part of Camille Montes in Quantum Of Solace. At the time, with the idea of acting far from her head, she turned the offer down, thinking that a Bond girl was not appropriate for a future attorney. But her appetite was awakened and she soon started taking acting lessons. Not long after, she was offered a part in Fast & Furious and this time, she did not refuse.
Gal & Paul Walker Were Friends
While filming the Fast & Furious movies, Gal Gadot became friends with Paul Walker, who played Brian O'Conner, one of the main characters in the franchise and he made regular appearances in her posts on Social Media. She was devastated when in 2013, Paul lost his life in a tragic car accident. Not only did his death affect her, but as a parent herself, she understood how terrible his loss could be for his wife and his daughter, a loss no inheritance or life insurance could replace.
She Hopes To Inspire An Empowering Image For Women In Hollywood
As she has been in command of her own life since her teenage years, Gal finds that a majority of movie roles available for women in Hollywood do not represent reality and are rarely empowering. One of the reasons she likes the Fast And The Furious franchise is that the women in the films are strong, empowering characters with intelligence and skill, without having to sacrifice their femininity. The studios need to make an investment in female writers and directors, to increase the diversity of available characters.
She Was Close To Abandoning Her Film Career When Wonder Woman Came Up
Getting rejected again and again is a process very taxing on one's mental health and it can even lead to depression in some cases. Gal had become tired of the constant auditions and rejections and she was very close to abandoning her nascent film career and go back to working as a model or perhaps even to Israel, to get her law degree. It was at that point that she received a phone call from her agent, who told her that she had been selected to portray Wonder Woman, in the much-anticipated film appearance of the comic book character.
She Is Married To A Real Estate Developer
Even meeting her future husband was unconventional for Gal Gadot. Instead of meeting at a gala or an exclusive nightclub, they found each other at a bizarre party, deep in the Israeli desert. Something between a hippie party and a healthy living retreat (though we don't know if there were drugs around), it was supposed to teach them about yoga, fitness, healing energies, and healthy diet. She and Yaron, a real estate developer, married in 2008 and from the pictures, their wedding looked like a great party!
She Was To Appear In The Beautiful Life
One of her first chances to appear on American TV was The Beautiful Life, a series about the lives of a group of models, living together in New York. Gal Gadot would play Olivia, a character inspired by real-life supermodel Gisele Bündchen, while other models and figures from the world of fashion would guest star. Unfortunately for her, the show was canceled after two episodes due to low ratings and the chance to gain some acting experience and a little bit of cash for her savings account slipped.
She Is A Fan Of Motorcycles & Owns A Ducati
Although she has said that after becoming a mother, she has left her dangerous habits behind her, she wasn't always that careful. She is a well-known motorcycle fan and she has posted pictures of her on bikes on her Twitter account. She owns (we don't know if she's kept it) a Ducati Monster-S2R and we're happy to say that on every photo we've seen where she's ready to ride, she has her helmet with her. A bike may be cool, but unless you want your family to collect an early life insurance, you should always follow her example and stay safe.
She Listened To Beyoncé Before Her Audition
Perhaps in tune with studio demands for secrecy or perhaps wanting to see the actress' audition without any preconceptions, director Zack Snyder kept the role Gal Gadot would be playing a secret. So she was going for an audition for a big studio project but had no idea what it would be. Anxiety and stress must have wracked her nerves. Others might have turned to alcohol or drugs to soothe their jitters but Gal is not that kind of gal. She listened to some tunes by Beyoncé and got all the psychological boost she needed.
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice Was Like A Teaser For Wonder Woman
Finally, in 2016, Gal Gadot got her first chance to shine as Wonder Woman. Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice came out and apart from the huge duel everyone was waiting for, people got a chance to see a small teaser for a heroine that got everyone excited. Although the film itself received mixed reviews, she was applauded and interest in her own film grew significantly. Giving the audience a small taste of Gal Gadot in her costume was a great investment for the studio, as millions started talking about her standalone movie and how great she looked in costume.
Her Life Made Her Ideal For Wonder Woman
Zack Snyder was the one who chose Gal to be Wonder Woman and everyone agrees that his choice couldn't have been better. Not only was she a great actress, she looked the part as well. With the body of a fitness model and the features of an ancient Greek goddess, she is just right to represent the comic character as close to its roots as possible. Apart from her physical attributes, though, Gal also has an air of confidence, determination, and a no-nonsense attitude that made her just the right woman to fit the shoes of Wonder Woman.
Her Ancestors Came From Europe
Gal's family has a long history, showcasing aspects of the Israeli experience of immigration and repatriation. Although her parents were born in Israel, her grandparents came from Europe and she has said she is Polish, Czech, Austrian, and German. Her maternal grandfather is a Holocaust survivor and her grandmother fled before the Nazis established their authority. Although she is now an international celebrity, her upbringing and life have been very much Jewish.
Her Career Is Picking Up Pace
With international fame and accolades for her performance in both films were she portrayed Wonder Woman, her Hollywood cred is on the rise. She has shown she is capable of making money for the studios and she is considered a good investment, having shown she is dedicated, professional, and unlike other actresses, she isn't addicted to drugs or a terminal alcoholic! She appeared in Criminal and Keeping Up With The Joneses in 2016 and is set to star in Justice League Part Two and the sequel to Wonder Woman.
She Had To Put On 14 Pounds For Her Role
Even before signing up for the role of Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot was into fitness and she could keep up even with an athlete. But she had the body of a model, more fit for the fashion world than action films. So she changed her workouts to reflect the image she wanted to attain (of course, with the help of a personal trainer and a dietician) and learn the skills she would need. A weight gain of 14 pounds was entirely muscle and considering she did kick-boxing, sword-fighting, kung fu, and jujitsu, it doesn't surprise us.
Not Even Her Pregnancy Had Stopped Her Filming Wonder Woman
Considering how important and potentially dangerous a pregnancy can be, it's no surprise that many actresses take a break from filming while expecting a baby. Of course, Gal Gadot is no ordinary actress and wouldn't let such a small thing like a pregnancy get in her way. While filming Wonder Woman, she was pregnant with her second daughter, Maya. While pregnant, she braved physical exertion, cold water, and muddy fields while in a costume that is in no way designed for cold weather, while pregnant. Even better, when Maya grows up, she will be able to say, "Hey, did you know I was in Wonder Woman?"