Gal Gadot spent two years serving in the military, an experience that equipped her with valuable skills for her future acting roles. Before capturing global attention as “Wonder Woman,” she made appearances in multiple TV shows and movies. With a background in modeling and a proficiency in martial arts, Gadot brings a unique set of talents to the screen. Despite her private nature, there are numerous intriguing aspects to her personality waiting to be discovered.
When Gal Gadot first entered the world of modeling and beauty pageants back in 2004, she did so in a casual, laid-back manner. At just 18 years old, she was unexpectedly crowned Miss Israel. Reflecting on this experience in a 2017 interview with W magazine, Gadot mentioned how she had never intended to win any title when she decided to participate in the pageant. “At that time, I was 18, fresh out of high school, and had some free time before starting my military service. My mom casually suggested that I send in some photos for the competition since it was a big deal,” Gadot shared. Without much expectation, she heeded her mother’s advice and entered the pageant. “I didn’t think I stood a chance, but to my surprise, I ended up winning. That’s when it hit me – now I had the title of Miss Israel, with all the duties and responsibilities that came with it.”
Embracing Fear at the Miss Universe Pageant During her time representing Israel at the Miss Universe pageant, Gadot decided to take a unique approach to ensure she wouldn’t have a shot at winning. In an interview with Glamour magazine, she admitted, “I was afraid of winning again, so I intentionally showed a lack of discipline. I arrived late, skipped wearing a gown as instructed, and didn’t follow the rules by not dressing up for breakfast as requested.”
Prior to entering the world of acting, Gadot’s initial career path was in law. She admitted to Glamour magazine that if certain unforeseen circumstances had not intervened, she could have pursued a profession as a lawyer. Acting was never something she had envisioned for herself.
At one point, Gal Gadot had a miss when trying out for a role in the film “Quantum of Solace” (2008) from the James Bond series. However, this disappointment ended up opening doors for her to join the cast of the popular “The Fast and the Furious” movies.
Gal Gadot was once considered for the role of Camille in the movie “Quantum of Solace,” but the part eventually went to Olga Kurylenko. This led Gadot to pursue acting and she landed the role of Gisele Yashar in “The Fast and the Furious” series, which was also cast by the same director. During an interview with Maxim magazine, Gadot revealed that while serving in the military in Israel, she was asked to lead workout classes for female soldiers in martial arts. She credited her military experiences for helping her secure a breakthrough role in “The Fast and the Furious” film series. Director Justin Lin was impressed by her military service and decided to cast her based on the benefits she could bring to the role and the film. Before her breakthrough with “Wonder Woman,” Gadot dabbled in acting in Israel without much success. She took on supporting roles and even considered quitting acting to pursue a legal career. However, an audition for Wonder Woman changed her path in the industry. To portray Wonder Woman on screen, Gadot underwent intense physical training and gained nearly 8kg of muscle. She trained for 6 months, working out 6 hours a day, to prepare for the role. Gadot felt much healthier and stronger during the filming of “Wonder Woman” but noted that the physical training was more intense than her military training. Gadot, who used to love big motorcycles, gave up this hobby after becoming a mother. She married Dutch businessman Yaron Varsano and now has two daughters. Gadot enjoys doing her own stunts and staying active for her health, but has made sacrifices like giving up riding motorcycles since becoming a mother.
