STACK #137 Mar 2016

INTERVIEW CINEMA

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

A s a former soldier and superhero backstory. It’s fitting then, that the Israeli beauty has been chosen to play Wonder Woman in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , due to swoop into movie theatres on 24th March. Real life superhero or not, it’s clear that Gadot, who served two years in the Israeli Defence Force in 2004 (the same year she was crowned Miss Israel, weirdly), is happy to use her military skills to play characters much like herself, or “capable and independent women with a strong sense of themselves and a positive outlook on life,” as she puts it. Gadot got her big break as Gisele in the literally unstoppable Fast and Furious franchise, appearing in four films over the course of six years. Now, having signed up to portray Wonder Woman in director Zack Snyder’s latest picture, a Justice League sequel and a standalone film that's due to hit cinemas in 2017, Gadot has the chance to tap into that military expertise in order to play the archetypal superheroine. “She’s the ultimate symbol of beauty queen, Gal Gadot’s past already reads like a

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in a way. I’ve always wanted to play stronger female roles and I turned down many parts where I would have had to play ‘the girlfriend’ kinds of roles, or the damsel in distress. I knew I didn’t want to do that,” says the 30-year-old, “It wasn’t in my nature and I didn’t want to represent women in that way. I told my agent that I wanted to play independent women and not go after sexy or obvious kinds of roles – but never in my wildest dreams did I think that one day I would get to play Wonder Woman!”

CINEMA

Fast & Furious 6

responsibility to play this kind of iconic figure who is an inspiration for all women.  She’s a very dynamic woman and has a great sense of who she is and her mission in life.” Gadot isn’t fazed by taking on

Despite being accused of being “too skinny for the part”, Gadot’s background in the IDF set her apart from the majority of traditional Hollywood actresses.

such an epochal female role, even though this is the first time this particular superhero has been on the screen since the enduringly popular Lynda Carter brought her to life in the mid-seventies. She believes she was born to play Wonder Woman. “It seems like destiny

In a world where so much coverage is given to male stars who are expected to pile on the muscle in order to realistically portray superheroes on screen, hopefully her willingness

a strong, smart, and serious woman; she represents the kind of woman who is independent and highly capable, someone who can handle herself in very difficult conditions and doesn’t need to rely on a man to rescue her,” says Gadot, describing her cinematic alter ego, adding that she sees it as a “huge

to take on the physical demands of portraying

Wonder Woman will not only put paid to the questions raised over Snyder’s decision to cast her, but also inspire a new generation of female superheroes both on and off the silver screen who aren’t

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that one day I would get to play Wonder Woman

• Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice is in cinemas on Mar 24

afraid to mix it with the boys.

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