SHE has served in the Israeli army, competed in Miss Universe and happily gained 17lb of muscle for her latest film role.
Yet some superhero fans still don’t think Gal Gadot is quite right to play Wonder Woman — because her boobs are too small.
Gal Gadot played Wonder Woman in the Batman v Superman film last year but now she gets to star her own Wonder Woman filmCredit: AP:Associated Press
The 32-year-old already squeezed into the iconic costume in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice.
But next month, when Wonder Woman opens, Gal will be the first female in a decade to front a solo superhero film, taking centre stage as the DC Comics demigoddess.
After playing the sharp-shooting Gisele Yashar in three Fast & Furious films and being one of the few high points of critical flop Dawn Of Justice, mother-of-two Gal is now set for superstardom.
Although she admits to The Sun on Sunday that training every day for a year to bulk up for the role sometimes left her thinking: “How the f*** am I going to do this?”
Gal gained 17lb of muscle for her latest film roleCredit: Scope Features
Her character is a warrior princess in the women-only Amazons, a tribe known for their strength and stature — and in Greek mythology for cutting off one of their breasts to better fire a bow and arrow.
She says: “People were very upset about my boobs. They are not ‘Wonder Woman boobs’, apparently. I mean, criticism comes with the job . . .
“Wonder Woman is an Amazon, I should only have one boob so they are lucky they are getting two small boobs.
“On the whole I just forget all that and think how lucky I am to be in this position, to be playing such an iconic, important character and on such a wild adventure.”
Fans aren’t convinced that Gal’s small breasts are right for the roleCredit: Scope Features
‘I am quite sporty but this is another level’
Gal was studying for a career in law when a casting director for 2008 Bond film Quantum Of Solace saw her photograph on the wall of a modelling agency and encouraged her to pursue a movie career.
She had already been crowned Miss Israel in 2004 and took part in that year’s Miss Universe, although she reckons she was “the worst contestant in history”.
Her military-honed fitness from two years of national service in the Israeli army served her well for her Wonder Woman training.
She says: “I am quite sporty but this is another level. Wonder Woman is the epitome of female strength so there couldn’t be any shortcuts.
“If I wasn’t filming I went into a tent on set and had to train. When you add into the mix that we shot in England in middle of winter . . .
“Crawling through the mud in a tiny skirt is harder than you’d think.
In 2004 Gal represented Israel in the Miss Universe competitionCredit: trevoroshana.com
“But I stopped being too skinny and the torture was worth it in the end. I felt like I was a little girl, looking up at Mount Kilimanjaro and thinking every day, ‘How the f*** am I going to climb the entire way up?’
“Slowly but surely, and with the right team, I did it.
“There was so much physically demanding content every day. It was pathetic how I was really tired and wanting to come up with excuses.
Gal pointed out that the Amazon women, the Tribe Wonder Woman is from, only had one breastCredit: trevoroshana.com
“I couldn’t even do one pull-up when I started. So if I can do it . . .”
Working out to such extremes undoubtedly helped Gal look sensational as Wonder Woman — aka Diana Prince — if not as voluptuous as some comic fans may have hoped.
Although there is no sign of the bright red, spandex get-up Lynda Carter made famous in the same role for the 1970s TV series Gal still has 14 different looks to rock in the film.
Her military-honed fitness from two years of national service in the Israeli army served her well for her Wonder Woman trainingCredit: Getty Images
She says: “I couldn’t breathe when I first tried the costume on, it was so tight.
“So I went to the gym, tried it on again and it felt great, a much better fitting, so they made it tighter.
“I made it very clear that I needed to have some oxygen going through my body to shoot the movie. We adjusted the costume and I wore it every single day, and we shot over 117 days.
“The new version was great. I can even sleep in it. It’s like pyjamas.”
Gal has 14 different looks to rock in the film none of them being the bright red, spandex get-up Lynda Carter made famous in the 70sCredit: Getty Images
Gal, who married property tycoon Yaron Versano in 2008, gave birth to second daughter Maya in March. She filmed her final scenes when she was pregnant.
Her eldest girl, five-year-old Alma, is “princess mad” and loves her mum’s kick-ass alter-ego — although it is a far cry from Disney.
Gal explains: “I wear a tiara so my daughter thinks I’m a princess.” However, she hopes to put a new spin on the word for her daughter.
I just forget all that and think how lucky I am to be in this position, to be playing such an iconic, important character and on such a wild adventure
Gal has said: “She will tell me the princess is so weak, she falls asleep and the prince will come and kiss her and save her and he is the hero. So I’m happy to be the one who is going to tell the Wonder Woman story.
“It is such an important story, so important for girls and boys to have a female, strong superhero to look up to.”
Gal also hopes grown women will take inspiration, saying: “Before I got this part I was in meetings in Los Angeles with different writers and directors asking me what my dream job is. I always said it was to play a very empowered woman who can inspire other women, an independent, strong, powerful woman.
Then I got Wonder Woman, which is basically everything I’ve ever asked for. It’s a dream come true.
Gal has two daughters with her husband Yaron VersanoCredit: Xposure
“She’s important for everyone. Little girls can see and be inspired to know that they can be strong, independent and sophisticated, powerful women when they grow up.
“And for little boys, they know they can respect women.
“Wonder Woman brings a lot of values with her.”
Most of the film was shot in the UK, at Leavesden Studio, Herts, and on location in Essex, Surrey and West Sussex. Gal was no fan of the chilly British weather, saying: “Wonder Woman doesn’t feel the cold but Gal does. Hopefully they can airbrush the goose pimples off me.”
She was pregnant with her second child while filming for Wonder WomanCredit: Getty Images
Called to do reshoots in London while five months pregnant, Gal admitted she “looked ridiculous” in her outfits with a huge baby bump.
She adds: “I think they are using a lot of close-up shots from that time.”
Gal — who will appear alongside other DC icons including Batman and The Flash in Justice League later this year — is also pleased a female director was at the helm of the empowering project.
Patty Jenkins directed Charlize Theron in her Oscar-winning turn in 2003’s Monster, and Gal says: “I think we can all agree that Patty wasn’t hired because she’s a woman.
Gal is happy that a female director was chosen to direct the empowering projectCredit: Getty Images
“She was hired because she was the perfect person to deliver the best result. And working with her, and spending so many hours and days and weeks with her, it’s been a dream come true.
“After Charlize won the Oscar for Monster the studios all came to Patty and asked her, ‘What do you want to do, what’s next for you?’ and she said she wanted to direct the next Wonder Woman.
“Little did she know that several years later, she would.
“But Patty is super-talented, she had a super-clear vision on Diana Prince and her story, and how she wants to tell it.”