1. Gal Gadot gained recognition for portraying Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe films.
102 Facts About Gal Gadot
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In 2018, Gadot was named one of Time's 100 most influential people and ranked by Forbes as the tenth-highest-paid actress, later rising to third in 2020.
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Gal Gadot became the first Israeli actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2025.
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Gal Gadot grew up in Rosh HaAyin, and first gained attention locally after winning the Miss Israel 2004, followed by two years of service in the Israel Defense Forces as a combat trainer.
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Gal Gadot reprised the role in Justice League and Wonder Woman 1984, the latter of which she co-produced.
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Gal Gadot is widely celebrated in Israel as a national icon and ambassador.
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Gal Gadot was born on 30 April 1985 in Petah Tikva, where she initially lived.
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Gal Gadot was born to Jewish parents of Ashkenazi descent; her mother's roots are Czech and Polish, while her father's are Austrian, Russian, and German.
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Gal Gadot's father is a sixth-generation Sabra, and one of his ancestors was the first chemist at Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem, while her mother is a first-generation Sabra and the daughter of Holocaust survivors.
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Gal Gadot's maternal grandfather, Abraham Weiss, was born as Adolf Weiss, in the village of Munkacs, Czechoslovakia in 1928.
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Gal Gadot later served in the Golani Brigade, and in his later years, he joined Israel Defense Forces expeditions to share his first hand Holocaust testimony.
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Gal Gadot joined the local volleyball and basketball teams, soccer-team cheerleader, and trained in ballet, hip-hop, and jazz for 12 years, at one point considering a career as a choreographer.
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Gal Gadot later attended Begin High School, where she majored in biology.
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In 2004, the 54th Miss Israel beauty pageant took place at the Haifa Congress Center, where an 18-year-old Gal Gadot participated with little expectation of winning.
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Gal Gadot became so passionate about the techniques she learned that she eventually trained sergeants and high-ranking commanders.
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Gal Gadot practiced Krav Maga, gaining proficiency in handling weapons and preparing for combat.
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Gal Gadot completed her mandatory two-year service, of which only 20 days were in uniform.
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In 2007, while serving, 21-year-old Gal Gadot appeared in Maxim's "Women of the Israel Defense Forces" photo shoot, which was later featured on the cover of the New York Post.
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Gal Gadot then pursued law and international studies at IDC Herzliya.
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Gal Gadot attributed this decision to being "so deep", and because she "loved" Ally McBeal.
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Gal Gadot dropped out of IDC Herzliya and, two months later, made her acting debut in the Israeli drama Bubot.
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Gal Gadot recalled that on the first day of classes, she received a call informing her that she had landed the lead role of Miriam.
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Gal Gadot later performed in Festigal Underwater, an annual Israeli musical show for kids during Hanukkah, where she performed as a mermaid, acting, singing, and dancing.
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Gal Gadot was chosen over six other actresses for the supporting role of Gisele Yashar in the fourth film of the franchise.
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At the time, Gal Gadot worked with Israeli coach Orit Shar.
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Gal Gadot described their preparation as "serious and thorough" for the audition.
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Gal Gadot recalled "the director [Justin Lin] was impressed with the work we did on the character, we built a backstory based on the six scenes they sent me, and he liked the direction we took".
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Gal Gadot then appeared on the American teen drama, The Beautiful Life: TBL.
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In 2010, Gal Gadot had small roles in the action-adventure comedy Knight and Day and the action comedy Date Night, which took her five days to film her scenes with Mark Wahlberg.
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In 2011, Gal Gadot reprising her role as Gisele in Fast Five.
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Gal Gadot explained that giving Gisele a Mossad background allowed for character development across multiple films.
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Gal Gadot alsi believes director Lin appreciated her Israeli military experience saying "I think Justin [Lin] really liked that I had served in the Israeli military and wanted to incorporate my knowledge of weapons into the role".
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Sources in the industry estimate that Gal Gadot earned over NIS3,000 per day of filming.
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In December 2013, Gal Gadot was confirmed for the role in the untitled Batman v Superman movie alongside Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, directed by Zack Snyder.
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Later, Gal Gadot landed her first Israeli film role in the comedy Kicking Out Shoshana, where she played the lead female character, Mirit Ben-Harush.
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In 2016, Gal Gadot debuted as Wonder Woman in the superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
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Gal Gadot was previously considered for the role of Faora-Ul in Man of Steel but turned it down due to her pregnancy, leading to Antje Traue being cast instead.
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Gal Gadot then had a small role in John Hillcoat's crime-thriller Triple 9, where she starred along with Kate Winslet and Aaron Paul.
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Gal Gadot described the film as the most challenging project she had done to date.
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In 2017, Gal Gadot starred in a solo film for her character, Wonder Woman, which was paid $300,000.
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Gal Gadot then reprised the role in the ensemble film Justice League, which was released in November 2017, and was her third DC Extended Universe installment.
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That same year, Gal Gadot was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
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Gal Gadot returned as Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman 1984, for which she reportedly earned $10 million.
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In November 2021, Gal Gadot starred alongside Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds in the Netflix action comedy film Red Notice, written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.
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The Guardian, in its review, opined that Gal Gadot was "sleepwalking through the motions" and was "adept only when fighting".
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Los Angeles Times' chief film critic Justin Chang deemed her "underwhelming" in the film, while The Week's Jesse Hassenger defends Gal Gadot's performance addressing the widespread criticism she received for her portrayal of Linnet Doyle, particularly for a meme-worthy line delivery.
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Gal Gadot called it an "extremely empowering and educational experience".
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Gal Gadot next starred as the Evil Queen in a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
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Meanwhile, Gal Gadot, as reported by Variety, avoided political commentary, "focusing instead on humanitarian issues by supporting Gaza hostages and distancing her posts from the film's promotion".
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Gal Gadot first landed an international campaign for Prada Ellis perfume.
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Gal Gadot then became a spokesmodel for the Israeli clothing brand Castro, a role she held for over 11 seasons, reportedly earning about $100,000 per season.
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In 2010, Gal Gadot walked the runway for Castro's summer collection fashion show at Tel Aviv Port.
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In 2013, Castro CEO Gabi Rotter noted that Gal Gadot was not widely known when she was chosen but was the "perfect fit to represent Israeli beauty".
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Gal Gadot cited her background as both an IDF soldier and a beauty pageant contestant as key factors in her selection, following in the footsteps of Israeli models like Yael Abecassis and Sendi Bar.
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In December 2013, Gal Gadot signed a two-year contract with the Israeli skincare company Carline.
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In 2018, Reebok announced an endorsement deal with Gal Gadot, reported to be worth $10 million.
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Gal Gadot became a brand ambassador for Huawei, which led to controversy after she tweeted a promotional video using an Apple device.
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Gal Gadot explained that the mistake was made by a member of her publicity team, who posted the video from the wrong phone.
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Additionally, Revlon recognized Gal Gadot's influence, naming her the global ambassador for their "Live Boldly" campaign.
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Gal Gadot has been featured on the covers of Cosmopolitan, UMM, Cleo, Entertainment Weekly.
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In October 2019, Gal Gadot formed a film and television production company, Pilot Wave, with her husband Jaron "Yaron" Varsano.
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Gal Gadot initially faced criticism for her slim physique during her pageant years in 2004, with some even speculating about eating disorders.
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Gal Gadot dismissed these remarks, pointing out that they stemmed from unrealistic beauty standards.
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Taykey's CEO, Amit Avner, noted that Gal Gadot had already been the most talked-about personality during Super Bowl commercials, one of which she appeared in earlier that year.
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In 2022, Variety reported that Gal Gadot earned $5 million for her role in Death on the Nile.
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Gal Gadot has been compared to Bar Refaeli, who faced backlash for not serving in the military.
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Gal Gadot is admired for her military service, which has endeared her to Israelis.
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Gal Gadot noted that Gadot's appearances on Western talk shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Ellen DeGeneres Show have helped humanize the stereotype of the "brutal Israeli soldier", making her relatable to a worldwide audience.
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Some argued that as an Israeli Jew, Gal Gadot should be seen through the lens of racial complexity, in the claims that Hollywood has historically limited representation of diverse identities.
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For many, Gal Gadot's role offered a rare and empowering representation of Jewish women, highlighting her Israeli heritage, distinct accent, and strength as a heroic figure.
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In May 2023, Gal Gadot received an award for "extraordinary achievements" at an event celebrating Israel's 75th Independence Day in Los Angeles, organized by the Israeli-American Community and the Israeli Consulate.
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Gal Gadot praised Gadot, calling her "a good ambassador for Israel".
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Caspi noted that although Gal Gadot did not wear a hostages pin at the event, she remains an important figure for Israel in Hollywood.
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In July 2016, Gal Gadot joined a campaign by Israeli female master's students in communications to rebrand Israel by highlighting its strong women.
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Gal Gadot supported the initiative after the students reached out to her.
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Gal Gadot responded by posting a photo with the hashtag, joining over 1.5 million people worldwide in the campaign organized by the World Jewish Congress.
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In May 2019, Gal Gadot joined a "Reach Out Association" initiative to support 25 ill children on a special trip to Los Angeles.
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Gal Gadot visited the children at their hotel, Sportsmen's Lodge, sharing breakfast and answering their questions.
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In November 2020, Gal Gadot faced backlash after congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their election win.
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In October 2022 Gal Gadot faced backlash after posting support for the Jewish community amid Kanye West's "anti-Semitic" remarks.
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Gal Gadot has openly supported the Israeli military and considers it her duty as a public figure to advocate for Israel.
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Gal Gadot expressed her prayers for Israeli citizens and soldiers and condemned Hamas, whom she called "cowards" hiding behind women and children.
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In 2019, Gal Gadot clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu over the status of Israel's Arab minority.
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Gal Gadot, defending Sela, emphasized, It's about "peace, equality, and tolerance".
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Gal Gadot's comments sparked mixed reactions, with some praising her stance and others urging a clearer political position.
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Gal Gadot compared her to Bella and Gigi Hadid, who are vocal in their pro-Palestinian support, saying Gadot acted "as if she was from Switzerland" instead of strongly supporting Israel.
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In 2022, following several attacks, including the Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv shooting attacks, Gal Gadot remained silent, which led to criticism from her Israeli media and fans.
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Rapper Yoav Eliasi specifically criticized Gal Gadot, comparing her to the Hadid sisters, and demanding Gal Gadot speak on the attacks.
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In May 2022, Gal Gadot expressed her support for Noa Kirel, the Israeli representative in the Eurovision semi-final, Gal Gadot called Kirel a "unicorn".
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In November 2023, Gal Gadot continued her advocacy by organizing a screening of Bearing Witness, an Israeli film showing the violence of Hamas, though she did not attend the screening.
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In May 2024, Gal Gadot advocated for Eden Golan, Israel's Eurovision representative, publicly encouraging her followers to vote for Golan.
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Later In September 2024, Gal Gadot joined Israeli President Isaac Herzog in launching the "Voice of the People" initiative, aimed at fostering global Jewish unity amidst rising antisemitism and the "ongoing hostage crisis".
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Rotem Sela, and Lior Raz defended Gal Gadot, stressing that it's the Israeli government's job to bring the hostages home, not Gal Gadot's.
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In February 2025, Gal Gadot expressed her desire for a diplomatic resolution to the Israel-Gaza conflict in an interview with Harper's Bazaar Spain.
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Gal Gadot later acknowledged the video did not garner the positive reaction that had been intended, but was unapologetic in explaining the thinking behind it.
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Gal Gadot possesses black belts in both karate and Krav Maga.
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In 2006, Gal Gadot was briefly linked to Israeli swimmer Eithan Urbach.
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That same year, Gal Gadot met her future husband, Jaron "Yaron" Varsano, a real estate developer from Amsterdam who grew up in a Jewish family in the Netherlands, in 2006 while she was still serving in the Israeli Army.
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Gal Gadot was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery within hours.
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Gal Gadot has expressed admiration for Penelope Cruz, particularly for her courage, individuality, and confidence in embracing her identity.
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Gal Gadot is very courageous and has an accent, but she just goes with it.
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Additionally, when asked which historical event she would like to witness, Gal Gadot shared that she would have chosen the rally after which Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, as it symbolized "the extreme rejection of democracy".