Gal Gadot reveals how Princess Diana inspired her Wonder Woman

Actor had a lightbulb moment while watching a documentary about the Princess of Wales

Gal Gadot has revealed a surprise inspiration behind her portrayal of Wonder Woman in DC Comics films.

The actor explained during a virtual roundtable for Vanity Fair's Cocktail Hour Live on Tuesday that she found parallels between Princess Diana and her own character – whose real name happens to be Diana Prince.

“I remember watching a documentary about Princess Diana and there was a part where they said she was full of compassion and always cared for the people and that was like, ‘Ding, ding, ding,’ that should be the Wonder Woman we have,” Gadot said according to L'Officiel USA.

Gadot’s Wonder Woman is a principled, empathetic being who uses her powers for the good of others. In embodying the character, Gadot said she wanted to showcase these qualities, as well as Diana Prince’s more human qualities.

"How can you connect to a goddess that’s super strong and has it all and [is] super perfect?” Gadot added. “I wanted to show her vulnerabilities and heart.”

Princess Diana listens to a senior nun of the Missionaries of Charity at the house of Mother Teresa in Calcutta on 15 February 1992 (RAVEENDRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Gadot first appeared as Wonder Woman in the 2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. She reprised the role in 2017 in the standalone film Wonder Woman, and that same year in Justice League.

Wonder Woman 1984, a sequel to Wonder Woman, was released in December 2020.