It’s as if Gal Gadot was born to play Wonder Woman. The actress, 32, who was both Miss Israel and an Israeli Defense Forces combat trainer, embodies all the qualities of a superhero. She’s inspiring (shooting some of the stunt scenes in the film while five months pregnant), strong (packing on 6.5kg of muscle for the role) and she has no taste for bullshit – as marie claire found out in this month’s cover story.
Gadot was taught confidence at an early age. “My mum raised me and my sister to be confident women with aspirations. And I always felt capable,” she says. “I’m lucky. I grew up not thinking too much about gender. I’m not saying that I’m stronger than most men. Physicality has its own rules. But we all have the same brains; we can achieve the same things.”
And just like Superman, Spiderman and Batman before her, Wonder Woman has proven to be box office gold. The first film to focus solely on a female superhero is now the biggest blockbuster ever directed by a woman, making $100.5 million ($135.4 million AUD) in its opening weekend in the US. Yes, women can achieve the same things as men.
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins is quick to give Gadot credit for the film’s incredible success, saying, “I really believe what’s inside the human being shows up on film. Wonder Woman has this honourable core. So does Gal.”
“She can do anything you ask her to. That’s not something you find every day. Gal is all of it,” Jenkins adds.
Gadot acknowledges that being “all of it” is de rigueur for her, as she juggles being a movie star and a mum to Alma, six, and Maya now two-months-old.
“I’m a control freak,” she says. “My mum used to say, ‘When it’s messy in the eyes, it’s messy in the head.’ I won’t leave dishes in the sink. I care a lot about organising things, having my house clean. Let’s just say I enjoy knowing what’s going on with my shit.” And boy, does she know her shit.
The new issue of marie claire will be on sale on Thursday June 8.
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