Gal Gadot garnered international acclaim with her notable roles, including DC’s Wonder Woman. Before her Justice League portrayal, Gadot lived through various experiences that made her even more admirable. Indeed, the Israeli actress became a real-life hero as she inspired many people through her accomplishments.
The actress now aims to soar even higher as she ventured beyond her Wonder Woman role. In October 2020, Gadot unveiled her plans to produce and star in an upcoming Cleopatra movie. However, some controversy arose from her unfit casting for the role.
Read on to learn more about Gal Gadot’s life behind the scenes, her career, and recent Cleopatra casting controversy.
Profile: Gal Gadot Height, Ethnicity, and More
- Full Name: Gal Gadot
- Height: 5’10’’
- Nationality: Israeli
- Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Gal Gadot Age
Many people know Gal Gadot not only for her beauty, but also for her numerous portrayals on television and the big screen. The Wonder Woman Gal Gadot role is one of her most outstanding depictions. Notably, it is also among the most challenging ones. This portrayal is no easy feat as it requires physical training and various stunts. Due to this, one might wonder—how old is Gal Gadot? Surely, she’s just in her 20s to be that physically strong, eh?
In truth, the Israeli actress is actually 35 years of age. She was born on April 30, 1985 to parents Michael and Irit Gadot. Many are also aware that she is a mother of two daughters and still going strong. Talk about girl power!
Gal Gadot Net Worth
Without a doubt, Gal Gadot established herself as an A-list model and actress. She successfully garnered people’s admiration and acclaim. Aside from acquiring fame, a celebrity such as herself also undoubtedly rakes in wealth, too. Currently, the Israeli actress’s net worth is reported to sit at around $40 million. Due to her upcoming acting and modeling projects, people expect her net assets to grow.
Gal Gadot Young Life and Roots
Although the Gal Gadot pronunciation may be quite tricky, the Israeli actress’ name is actually very meaningful. When translated from Hebrew to English, Gal refers to “wave.” Moreover, her last name translates to “riverbanks.”
Before Gal Gadot’s rise to fame, she spent most of her childhood days in Israel. She and her only sibling, Dana, were raised through their parents’ utmost care and support. Their father, Michael, supported their family by working as an engineer. Their mother, Irit, provided for them through her teaching profession.
Gal Gadot Miss Israel Win
As she became older, Gal Gadot eventually grew into a lovely woman with remarkable talents. Indeed, people witnessed her shine as she took part in the infamous Miss Israel pageant in 2004. At the time, Gadot was 18 years old and primarily joined for the sake of experience. Little did she know, great things were waiting for her as she unexpectedly won the Miss Israel title. Ever since she was crowned, Gadot acquired more opportunities that led her down the path of fame in modeling and eventually, in acting.
Gal Gadot Military Background
Aside from the Gal Gadot model and pageant background, the Wonder Woman actress also fulfilled her obligations as an Israeli citizen. For two years, she partook in her mandatory training and service in the Israel Defense Forces. In Maxim’s 2007 Gal Gadot interview, the actress shared that she took part in combat training in the military. Among her obligations were to train soldiers and to teach them various exercises. Due to this experience, Gal Gadot learned the importance of respect and determination that proved to be fruitful even in her acting career.
Her military background eventually helped her acquire a role in Fast & Furious. In a Gal Gadot interview with Forward, the actress cited the Fast & Furious director’s interest in her military knowledge, particularly with weapons. Notably, Gadot proved herself fitting and talented in depicting her role as Gisele. Since then, she continued to rise to fame and eventually became a prominent actress as she landed her one-in-a-million Justice League role.
Gal Gadot Husband and Kids
The Wonder Woman actress has had a long-term romance off-screen with her husband, Yaron Varsano. The couple’s destined meeting occurred way back in 2006 in Israel. Soon after, Gadot and Varsano started dating and became head over heels for one another. Their love stayed strong and their bond deepened even further. In 2008, the Gal Gadot Yaron Varsano wedding finally came to be.
Since then, many fans also fell in love with the couple as they openly and proudly display their devotion to each other on social media. Indeed, the Gal Gadot Instagram feed features adorable (and well-captioned) photos of herself and Varsano. Likewise, Gadot’s husband also proudly shows off his love and admiration for his wife in the ‘Gram. If that’s not relationship goals, we don’t know what is.
While the couple may be cute together, the Yaron Varsano and Gal Gadot children are also truly adorable. Their eldest daughter, Alma, was born in 2011. She became the couple’s unica hija until Gadot gave birth to their youngest, Maya, in 2017. With two kids and a well-kindled love, people continue to look forward to more of the adorable and inspiring love story between Gadot and Varsano.
Gal Gadot Movies
Aside from the infamous Gal Gadot Justice League role, the Israeli actress also took on other character portrayals throughout her acting career. Among the most prominent Gal Gadot films include:
Fast & Furious
Gal Gadot acquired her major acting career breakthrough in the fourth installment of the well-known Fast & Furious franchise. This film features an ensemble cast which includes Vin Diesel, the late Paul Walker, John Ortiz, Michelle Rodriguez, and more. In this Hollywood film, the Gal Gadot Fast and Furious character was Gisele Yashar. Gisele is known for her expertise on weapons, as well as her romantic involvement with Sung Kang’s character, Han Lue.
How did she land such a role? Gal Gadot dropped out of law school during her freshman year for an audition call. To pursue her acting career, Gadot took the opportunity to star in Quantum of Solace as Camile Montes. In the end, she was not able to land the role. However, the casting director of Quantum of Solace saw potential in Gal Gadot and eventually appointed her to portray Gisele in Fast & Furious. Then, as they say, the rest was history.
Gal Gadot finally debuted as a Hollywood actress upon Fast & Furious’ release in 2009. She soon reprised her role in the 2011 sequel, Fast Five, and the 2013 installment, Fast & Furious 6.
Spoiler alert: Gadot’s character was killed off in the sixth film. However, some Fast & Furious fans stand by their firm belief on the possibility of characters reappearing unless a body is recovered. Until then, we can only rewatch and witness Gadot’s talents in the released movies.
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Aside from appearing in various shows and movies, Gal Gadot also took on voice acting in the 2018 Disney film, Ralph Breaks The Internet. Gadot lent her voice to the Slaughter Race character, Shank, known to be the tough boss in the online racing game. If you’re interested in how the actress brought her character to life, you can watch Ralph Breaks the Internet on Disney Plus. The film is sure to make you cry, cheer on the adorable characters, and laugh your head off to its hilarious puns and witty plotlines.
Wonder Woman
Upon earning her mark in the industry, Gal Gadot continued to garner more projects that gave her even more opportunities to prove her acting abilities. Her determination and talents proved to be fruitful as the Gal Gadot Wonder Woman role was finally announced in 2013. Since the role appointment, the Israeli actress underwent intense preparations to get primed for the upcoming Wonder Woman film. The Gal Gadot training for the role included several physical drills and sports which include jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, capoeira, and even fighting with swords.
Fans finally got to see the Gal Gadot Wonder Woman costume in the 2016 DC movie, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The film features an ensemble cast which includes Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Amy Adams, and Jesse Eisenberg.
Then, after thorough preparation and film production, DC Films finally released the Wonder Woman film in 2017. People got to see Gadot in full glory as she excellently depicted Diana Prince and her superhero counterpart, Wonder Woman. She starred alongside talented actors such as Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, and Danny Huston. Wonder Woman depicts thrilling fight scenes and inspiring lines for both the young and young-at-heart. Aside from these, the film also features the alluring chemistry on-screen between Gal Gadot and Chris Pine. Indeed, fans simply can’t get enough of them as they skillfully gave their characters’ romance a natural charm.
Wonder Woman 1984
Since the 2017 Wonder Woman film, fans eagerly waited for the next installment to come. After over three years, their long wait was finally over as Warner Bros. set the final Wonder Woman 1984 release date in various countries starting December 16, 2020.
In this film, the Gal Gadot Chris Pine duo made a comeback with the rest of the Wonder Woman 1984 cast. The film was directed by Patty Jenkins, with Gadot, Pine, and Nielsen reprising their respective roles. The film also starred Kristen Wiig, who portrayed the highly-anticipated Wonder Woman 1984 villain, Barbara Minerva a.k.a. Cheetah. If you’re looking for thrilling scenes and want to pick up important moral lessons, this film is certainly worth watching.
Cleopatra Casting: Whitewashing Controversy
There’s no contest when it comes to the beauty of Gal Gadot without makeup or even with full-face cosmetics. Indeed, Gal Gadot photos and videos evoke loveliness that mesmerize many fans. While people could agree on the Israeli actress’ inherent beauty, a controversy concerning her stirred a debate among people.
In October 2020, Deadline reported that Paramount Pictures won the upcoming Cleopatra project that Gal Gadot will produce and star in. They intend to accomplish the film through the direction of Patty Jenkins, the same director who cultivated DC’s Wonder Woman films.
In the 1963 Cleopatra movie starring Elizabeth Taylor, Cleopatra was generally painted as a temptress with alluring beauty—failing to acknowledge her significance in history. However, Gadot and the rest of the upcoming Cleopatra film’s staff intend to make the public see her in a new and more empowering light.
Debate on Whitewashing Casting
While their intentions to provide an inspiring take on Cleopatra’s life proves to be relevant and virtuous, some people doubted whether Gal Gadot was fit to play the role. Many took to social media to voice out their views on the matter. They contended that whitewashing has yet again prevailed—casting a white actress for a role that should be depicted by a person of color. Moreover, some cited that Cleopatra should be portrayed by an African or Arabic actress who could represent the Egyptian ruler better.
Gal Gadot’s Response to Casting Controversy
Due to cultural whitewashing allegations, Gal Gadot addressed the issue and voiced out her stand on the matter. In an interview with BBC Arabic, the film star acknowledged people’s concerns about the upcoming Cleopatra project’s historical accuracy. Gadot said that “Cleopatra was Macedonian,” immediately insisting that their team did try to search for an actress of the same roots for better representation of the legendary ruler. Although they were unable to find someone for the role, Gadot shared that she felt “very passionate about Cleopatra.”
The Israeli actress also expressed her love for people and friends from different parts of the world. She cited that regardless of religion or roots, “people are people.” In turn, Gal Gadot wanted to share and revere Cleopatra’s heritage and legacy through her passion and high regard for the legendary ruler. In her final remarks, Gadot expressed her determination for making the Cleopatra movie and encouraged people to also produce films that they wish to make. She stated, “I’m going to do my own, too,”—reiterating her passion for Cleopatra.
Although the whitewashing controversy on her Cleopatra role was not the first instance of the issue in Hollywood, it is still significant in the industry and even in our society. Indeed, Gadot acknowledged the controversy well, citing her passion for the project to celebrate the historic icon’s legacy. Still, people should keenly heed inclusion and cultural representation in the hopes of eliminating any form of discrimination and promoting racial equality.
This is especially vital when it comes to mass-produced media such as films. Such means of entertainment could also affect many people’s discernment and understanding of their history. Indeed, it is high time that representation be taken lightly. Through responsible casting and thorough production, films can go beyond amusing viewers—they can also inspire.
Updates on Cleopatra Project
Since her interview with BBC Arabic in December 2020, there have been no further announcements on the production or release dates of Gal Gadot’s Cleopatra film. As Gadot also expressed her determination and passion for the project, there were no further casting changes despite people’s whitewashing concerns. Still, many are keeping an eye on how Gal Gadot intends to represent Cleopatra. Indeed, people expect her and their team to carefully and thoughtfully portray the legendary ruler in an empowering manner, as they promised they would.
Final Thoughts
Gal Gadot has truly earned her mark in Hollywood and the movie industry, claiming her spot as one of the most well-known actresses today. She has exhibited beauty inside and out as she continues to inspire many fans. Indeed, her considerable life experiences make her an epitome of a strong, empowered woman. With her upcoming projects and future film production, people are keen to see what Gadot can do as she pursues various ventures.
