Playing Wonder Woman may have seemed like a no-brainer for Gal Gadot, but the actress recently revealed that she had some reservations when she signed on to play the famous superhero.
Speaking with Parade, she opened up about feeling “nervous” about taking on the titular role in 2017’s Wonder Woman, explaining that she wanted to honor the legacy that Wonder Woman has with fans while also building upon it to deliver something that would resonate with audiences.
“It’s been an amazing journey that I never could have anticipated, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of bringing this character to life,” she told the outlet. “But I will say that when I was told I was going to have my own movie, I was super nervous. I’d never been the title.”
Gadot continued, “It was important for me to bring something good to the world and to bring a character that matters. I felt like the little girl looking at Mount Kilimanjaro and not sure how she’s going to climb it.”
Now, the Fast and Furious star feels that she and the comic book heroine are one. “But [director] Patty [Jenkins] and Chris [Pine] and I became family and this character became second nature to me,” she added. “I actually think about the character in things that I do in my real life. I think about whether something is appropriate for Wonder Woman. She’s become a big part of me.”
In fact, Gadot revealed that she wasn’t aware that she was up for the role of Wonder Woman, admitting that the secretive nature of her auditions kept her in the dark for some time. “The whole process of the auditions was so confidential that I didn’t even realize at first I was testing for Wonder Woman. Once I was told, I was super stoked and excited because I knew she was such a household name,” she recalled, adding, “That movie’s success made me feel like we could make a change and have these changes matter.”
Despite portraying one of the most famous characters of all time, Gadot assured that she never expected Wonder Woman to become the massive success that it is today.
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“I don’t think you can ever anticipate an impact. Patty and I always believed that we were doing something special, and I think that’s the key,” she explained, crediting its authenticity with helping it relate to audiences of all ages and genders. “People were waiting for a female-driven story in such an authentic way. It’s funny to say the word ‘authentic,’ because she’s a superhero, but we were telling the story from a female perspective and we made sure the story was universal.”
She continued, “For men, women, boys, girls, everyone. She wasn’t this tough, bad-ass woman who had it all figured out. She had fears and worries, and we enjoyed exploring her imperfections and vulnerabilities. Those are the things that are truthful in humankind. We were able to make the character grounded this way and be accessible and approachable.”
Next up for Gadot is Wonder Woman: 1984, which is slated for theatrical release in August, and she’s confident that the highly anticipated sequel will have the same effect.
“With a second movie, I just feel we took it to the next level,” she said, adding, “We gave everything we had to bring with the best story we could bring. I’m very proud of the result because it’s so close to my heart and I’m excited for you to watch it.