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Gal Gadot is Wonder Woman, and she's stealing the show.
For those unfamiliar with her name, the 32-year-old actress was best known for her roles in four "Fast and Furious" films before taking on the role of Wonder Woman alongside Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."
Now she's bringing the comic-book Amazonian princess to life in the first standalone "Wonder Woman" film that's getting rave reviews and (at least) two "Justice League" movies.
But even before she was killing it in action films, she was crowned Miss Israel and served two years in the Israeli army.
Get to know the scene-stealing Wonder Woman below:
Gal Gadot was born in Israel on April 30, 1985. Her mom was a teacher, and her father was an engineer. (She's on the right.)
Israeli-born actress Gal Gadot has been cast to play Wonder Woman (Getty Images)
You actually pronounce her name like "Guh-DOT" with a T.
Growing up, Gadot wanted to be a choreographer before switching paths to focus on law. But her plans changed after she met a pageant scout.
She participated in the 2004 Miss Israel contest and won, which launched her into a modeling career.
Gadot said she rebelled while at the Miss Universe pageant by showing up late and not coming prepared.
After she participated in the pageant, she left to serve two years in the Israeli army, which is required of all Israeli citizens. Afterward, she began studying law at university.
While Gadot was in school, a casting director for "Quantum of Solace" saw her modelling card and reached out to her for an audition. The part ultimately went to Olga Kurylenko.
She ended up landing her first acting gig on an Israeli TV show, "Bubot," and left university.
She married Yaron Versano in 2008, and the couple has a 4-year-old daughter, Alma.
Her Hollywood career started after she was cast as Gisele in "Fast & Furious," whose casting director was the same from "Quantum of Solace."
She reprised the role three more times. Her final appearance was in "Furious 7."
She even did her own stunts in "Furious 6."
She appeared in an episode of "Entourage" in 2009.
Gadot was cast in "The Beautiful Life," a short-lived CW series about models in New York City. Ashton Kutcher served as a producer on the show.
She starred alongside Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in "Knight & Day."
That same year, she appeared as Mark Wahlberg's girlfriend in "Date Night."
She went on to star in some Israeli TV shows, including "Asfur."
Instagram
Gadot stars alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul, and Kate Winslet in this year's "Triple 9."
She's also a big fan of motorbikes and owns a 2006 Ducati Monster-S2R.
Gadot made her debut as Wonder Woman in 2016's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice."
Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman (Warner Brothers)
In reviews for the film, Gadot's Wonder Woman earned high praise.
"She steals every scene she's in, and has a look and swagger that are perfect for the superhero," writes Business Insider's Jason Guerrasio.
Fans praised Gadot's Wonder Woman on Twitter and her character's appearance was met with applause at some screenings.
"For 'Batman v Superman' it was important for me that we show how independent she is. She is not relying on a man, and she's not there because of a love story. She's not there to serve someone else," she told Glamour.
Gadot said she couldn't breathe in the early version of her costume.
"Then they got me into the fitting room and tried on the costume," she told Business Insider. "And I was so happy and so grateful and thankful for being there and doing this role that I didn’t say anything about the fact it was so tight, and I literally could not breathe." It was fixed.
She is now starring in her own film, "Wonder Woman," which is the first solo film the heroine has ever had.
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She will also play the superhero in at least two "Justice League" films.
She stars alongside Chris Pine as her love interest, Connie Nielsen as her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and Robin Wright, as her aunt, General Antiope.
Gadot says Diana/Wonder Woman is accessible.
"It's very easy to relate to her," she told Entertainment Weekly. "She has the heart of a human so she can be emotional, she's curious, she's compassionate, she loves people. And then she has the powers of a goddess. She's all for good, she fights for good, she believes in great. I want to be her."
It was important for Gadot that a woman direct the movie.
"It's a story about a girl becoming a woman. I think only a woman, who has been a girl, can be able to tell the story in the right way," she told Entertainment Weekly.
Gadot said that working with a female director allowed them to depict Wonder Woman in a "normal" way.
"W I had our creative conversations about the character, we realized that Diana can still be a normal woman, one with very high values, but still a woman," Gadot said to Entertainment Weekly. "She can be sensitive. She is smart and independent and emotional. She can be confused. She can lose her confidence. She can have confidence. She is everything. She has a human heart."
She wants Wonder Woman to be a role model for girls. "I feel that I’ve got the opportunity to set a great role model for girls to look up to a strong, active, compassionate, loving, positive woman, and I think it's so important," she said.
She gained around 14 pounds of muscle while training for the role. Her regimen included kung fu, kickboxing, swords, and jujitsu.
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