When Israeli actress Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman in Batman vs. Superman back in 2013, I wrote that she “She looks deceptively cute and spunky, but I bet she kicks major ass.” I didn’t – and still don’t – really know much about her, so I just judged her on her “look” and whether she looked like she could kick some ass as Wonder Woman. My guess is that this version of Wonder Woman will be more about martial arts, because Gal is a pretty small, lithe young woman. Some people even criticized the casting choice just because Gal doesn’t really look like she could physically take on anyone (especially wearing stripper boots). And that’s where we are now. Gal gave an interview to an Israeli publication a few days ago where she discussed the criticisms of her body and whether she was big enough, curvy enough, athletic enough to play Wonder Woman.
Gal on the body criticism: “Don’t be shy. They said that I was too skinny and my boobs were too small.”
Whether she was offended by the criticism: “I’m really lucky nothing in my life was instantaneous. When I was younger I would take criticism really hard. But now it mostly amused me. The true amazons had one boob so it won’t bother them in their archery. So it’s not going to be like real amazons. We always try to make everyone happy but we can’t.
Whether she was embarrassed at the breast-talk: “No. After they asked me here, In Israel, if I have eating disorders and why am I so skinny, they said my head was too big and my body was like a broomstick I can take anything. It’s just empty talk. I understand that part of what I’m doing means being exposed. And part of being exposed is being under fire (criticism). ”
Whether she wants to be known for more than just Wonder Woman: “Playing Wonder Women is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I can’t describe to you how much I wanted to play this character without even knowing I wanted to play her. I met a lot of people from the industry in LA for meetings. They always asked me ‘what’s your dream role?’, and I never could define it. I always answered that I wanted to play a women that is strong and will be a source for women empowerment. I don’t want to play a damsel in distress that needs to be saved. I don’t like it when women in the movies are shown as the victims. I always thought that if I could send out a massage I want to show the strong side of a woman and how she can handle tough situations. [Now] I get to play the strongest most empowering woman ever – Wonder Woman. I’m so grateful and I thank god every day. I want to devour it and enjoy every bite. ”
[Translated interview via Robot Underdog]
Well, that’s the way to handle it. Seriously. I feel sorry for the young women who get so many negative comments about their bodies, but I prefer Gal’s way of handling that criticism. Just acknowledge that everybody’s got an opinion, laugh about it and move on. It probably helps her that her Wonder Woman casting came when she was 28 as opposed to 18 years old. She was already at an age when she was comfortable in her skin and wanting to explore a tough, badass role.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
“My guess is that this version of Wonder Woman will be more about martial arts, because Gal is a pretty small, lithe young woman”
Wonder Woman doesn’t have to be huge. She has superhuman strength and is nearly at Superman’s level in that area.
But still, Superman is always buff. I don’t mind any weight any of the heroes are at (within reason), but in this case the backlash is consistent at least.
It will be a cgi salad regardless.
I like her attitude however.
I don’t think anyone should have to put up with criticism of their body, that’s horrible.
That being said, I do think this was a pretty poor casting decision. Wonder Woman is supposed to be very tall and strong. Men have to bulk up for these roles all the time. It also would have been really nice to see a different body type on screen.
+1
And an American actress, for you know, an American icon? Would that be too much to ask…
Fyi, she’s an Amazonian princess, not American.
I don’t agree that the actor should be American. WW is Amazonian anyway but there are some great examples of actors playing characters no-one imagined could be played by a ‘foreign’ actor: Renee Zellwegger as Bridget Jones and David Oyelowo as Dr King anyone?
I said ‘American icon’.
And Israeli isn’t American or Amazonian.
LOL That is just…argh. If every time an American actor plays an “insert country-culture” icon people would say that….
Wonder Woman isnt American, shes an Amazonian Princess. Why would an American have to play her? It would be nice to see some diversity in movies.
I think they have a Blind Oracle casting this DC movie, all around none of it has made any sense, including this wisp of a girl, nothing to do with her provenance more like the known cannon on Wonder Woman and the fact she looks nothing like it and let’s face it the physicality is about all we have to go by here
Well, well. Jason Momoa’s casting as Aquaman is the best ever.
The fact is, Wonder Woman was an Amazon warrior. Amazon women were tall and muscular and were the dominant gender in their culture. Wonder Woman has super human strength and superior combat skills. If they want to remain true to the comic books, she should be tall and muscular. If they really want to remain true to the comic books, she will have not only the lasso, cuffs, and tiara, but she would also have a purple ray that heals wounds and an internal radio, but I’m not holding my breath. Looks like they’re going for small feminine girl who kicks ass.
Yes, I am a super hero/sci fi nerd.
Gal Gadot is actually 5’10” so that is taller than average for a female. Maybe they’ll have her bulk up.
YES! It would be awesome if she bulked up, the sexiest thing ever was Linda Hamilton’s muscles in Terminator 2! Tiny waists and big boobs do not make you “strong”!!
Gal Gadot is 5’10 she is plenty tall. Lynda Carter wasn’t very muscular either.
I don’t know what’s sadder: … The fact that people here are judging her based upon her looks? Or the fact that no one here seems to have ever watched a “Fast and Furious” film? My girl Gal Gadot has been kicking ass with Vin and the boys for the past three (the 4th, 5th, and 6th) “Fast and Furious” films. Alas, she was written out of the franchise at the end of the 6th film (one of the saddest exits I can recall in a film) because of her Wonder Woman role.
I like the way she handled that.
I have high hopes for the movie, The director did amazing stuff on breaking bad and other shows, and I’m just glad Wonder Woman is getting her own movie.
She may be tinier than people expected, but that didn’t stop Tom Cruise or Sylvester Stallone from being action stars.
I opened this page thinking it would be a horrible interview but I was wrong. She handled it very well and I like it that she seems to acknowledge that the criticism is also part of staring in such a movie.
Add to your list Jean-Claude Van Damme and Arnold Schwarzenegger (who is long thought to not be as tall as it is sold). I think that from her looks she’ll be OK, so let’s see if she can act. I’m actually looking forward to this movie.
You have high hopes for a Zack Snyder directed film?
OH you mean the directer of the WW solo film. Okay. Well WW has to navigate her way through the Snyder films first. We’ll see what happens.
I don’t know who she is, but she looks like she’s my size. I have no eating problem or any health problems at all. Just last night I had comments made about my weight. The people who made them weren’t tiny, but I would never say anything about their size to them.
She wouldn’t be playing tackle football in the movie, and it’s nice she stood up for herself when people start to ask about her size
She’s from Israel. Women there have actual police training.
*military.
and yes, we all have to serve. it’s the law. 2 years for women, 3 for men.
This – Israeli military training (been there, done that, barely made it haha) can whip you into some crazy shape. I’m sure she can take more than half of us.
Yes I was going to say isnt she military trained? so nice to see that others were aware of this too that she could probably kick most peoples butts! haha
In the 6 years I lived in Israel, I knew plenty of thin women who served in the military who could have kicked my butt… and the butt of many men.
I think she’ll do a great job. How about we give her a chance before criticizing?
She’s 5ft 9, maybe 10. Taking her height into consideration I couldn’t call her a petite little waif. Slender and long limbed but plenty strong I would guess.
Concerns for Wonder Woman in order of intensity:
– Zack Snyder’s awful track record with female characters and the sexualizing thereof.
– Gal Gadot’s acting ability: have not been impressed to date.
– Don’t care how big her muscles are, just that she can sell the action. Scarlett Johansson isn’t a muscle woman, either, but she does a great job with the Black Widow’s physicality. Hoping for same from Gadot.
– Will always be bummed Cobie Smulders isn’t Wonder Woman, am trying to get over it.
I feel your concerns, but hopefully she’ll prove us wrong
Excuse my ignorance (blissful in the case of remembering Lynda Carter’s WW as a wee lass) but why do they have her looking more like Xena than WW. Are they going back to her roots? I wouldn’t be surprised if the blue and red costume was an American thing but I thought that was what she was in the comics, no?
God, people can be so cruel. But she’s right, it’s empty talk (or at least it should be).
It’s not so much that she’s skinny, but here Hollywood had the perfect excuse to cast a woman who was not tall and skinny, like every single other actress. And they went, as per usual, with thin as possible.
It’s that we’re disappointed that even in this, casting an amazon warior, a woman who is canonically muscular, they still cast a stick-skinny woman.
I don’t mind her body type and I like her attitude. But my God she’s a bad actress. So that’s the biggest issue I have with her casting in such a huge franchise. I hope she does alright but I’m not keeping my hopes high.