Gal Gadot Opens Up About Her Unexpected Journey from Beauty Queen to Hollywood Star: ‘Miss Universe Was Never in the Cards’

Gal Gadot, the stunning 35-year-old Wonder Woman star, revealed in the latest Vanity Fair issue that she wasn’t thrilled about her beauty queen days. Back in 2004, she reluctantly competed in Miss Israel and purposely avoided winning the Miss Universe title that year. She recalled a funny moment during the competition, where judge Paula Abdul asked her a question, and Gal pretended she couldn’t speak English, saying, “Me no speak English, so sorry.” She did everything in her power to ensure she didn’t clinch the crown.

Not her cup of tea: Gal Gadot, a former beauty pageant winner, revealed in a Vanity Fair interview published in November that the 35-year-old Wonder Woman star did not find the experience fulfilling. This was captured in a video for VF.

She never expected to win the title of Miss Israel in 2004, let alone compete for Miss Universe. In a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, she confessed that she initially didn’t think she stood a chance at becoming the beauty queen. However, to her surprise, she ended up taking home the crown and representing her country on the international stage.

Looking ahead to her upcoming film, Wonder Woman 1984, slated for release on December 25, 2020, she shared her thoughts on the sequel. She described the first film as the hero’s origin story and hinted that the second installment would delve deeper into themes of greed and danger, reflecting the current era. Her paycheck of $300K for the first Wonder Woman pales in comparison to the reported $10M she earned for the sequel.

Unenthusiastic: The 5ft10in celebrity exclaimed, “Oh, wow, Paula Abdul was on the judging panel, and she approached me with a question. I panicked and jokingly responded with, ‘Sorry, I don’t speak English’ in a fake accent. I was determined to avoid any embarrassing situations.”

During a recent dance performance, the actress was spotted on the far right standing next to Miss Canada. She expressed her thoughts on the relentless pursuit of success, questioning if we lose ourselves in the never-ending chase for more. Reflecting on a scene in 1984, where young actress Lilly Aspell portrays the childhood version of Wonder Woman in a physical competition, she admitted to being moved to tears. She emphasized the importance of seeing representation in media, noting how boys have always been portrayed as the heroes and strong figures in films.

Inspirational figure: Gal shared that she becomes emotional watching the beginning of the 1984 film, where young actress Lilly Aspell portrays a young Wonder Woman engaging in a physical competition. According to Gal, seeing someone or something is essential before aspiring to be like them.

The Israeli star also discussed the impact of playing Wonder Woman on her own daughter. Gal, a mother of two, revealed that she showed the movie to her eight-year-old daughter, Alma. Although Alma was thrilled, she found it difficult to separate her mother from the character battling the villains. Despite skipping the scary scenes, Alma enjoyed the movie and took pride in her mother’s role.

Regarding the backlash surrounding her rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine during self-isolation, Gadot acknowledged the criticism as people branded them as ‘out of touch’ for singing about ‘no possessions’ from their luxurious mansions.

Children: Gal Gadot discussed the impact of her role as Wonder Woman, particularly on her own daughter. The actress, who has two daughters with her husband Jaron Varsano, shared that she showed the film to her eldest daughter Alma, who was excited but had a hard time separating her mom from the character battling the villains.

Gadot expressed her intention to do something positive and pure with the film, but acknowledged that it may not have been fully successful in that aspect. Along with other actresses like Natalie Portman, Zoe Kravitz, and Amy Adams, Gadot appeared in a video released in March during the COVID-19 lockdown, which some viewers found to be out of touch. Despite good intentions, the video received mixed reactions from Twitter users.

Her mentor, Patty Jenkins, joined her at the World Premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Wonder Woman back in 2017.
She began the project by expressing, ‘Hello everyone. It’s day six of self-quarantine and these past few days have really made me think deeply.’
Reflecting on the global impact of the virus, she emphasized that it is a shared experience for people all around the world, regardless of their backgrounds.
Gal Gadot mentioned being moved by a video of an Italian man playing the trumpet for his community amid the lockdown in his country.
She found the video to be incredibly touching and authentic, which inspired her to start singing the challenging song.
The scene then transitioned to various celebrities like Kristen Wiig, Jamie Dornan, Labrinth, James Marsden, and Sarah Silverman.

Back in March, Gal Gadot and her group of famous pals faced criticism for their attempt at singing John Lennon’s Imagine during self-isolation. Many on the internet thought they were disconnected from reality for singing about having “no possessions” from their luxurious homes.

In her cover story for Vanity Fair in November 2020, Gal reflected on the video and acknowledged that despite her good intentions, it ultimately did not have the positive impact she had hoped for. She shared that she simply wanted to spread light and love in the world through the rendition of Imagine.

Gal described how the idea for the video came about, starting with a few friends before growing with the help of Kristen Wiig, who she jokingly referred to as the “mayor of Hollywood.” Though she initiated the project with pure intentions, she recognized that it did not have the desired effect.

Nancy Jo Sales from Vanity Fair contacted Gal for a response on Monday following backlash over her role as Cleopatra, to be directed by the same director as Wonder Woman. This situation reminded me of Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic portrayal of Cleopatra. Gal, a mother of two, shared her straightforward nature, admitting that it sometimes lands her in trouble. She mentioned a diplomatic phrase she uses when disagreeing with someone, acknowledging her honesty may not always be well-received. The controversy surrounding Gal’s casting as Cleopatra sparked debates online about the Egyptian queen’s heritage, which historical records suggest was more likely Greek or Persian rather than African.

Could there be another winner on our hands? Armie Hammer cast as Simon Doyle and Gadot as Linnet Ridgeway in the upcoming film Death On The Nile by 20th Century Studios, set to hit theaters on December 18th.