That's My Gal: 'Wonder Woman' Stopped Gal Gadot From Quitting Hollywood

Is it any "Wonder" that #GalGadot is one of Hollywood's hottest stars at the moment (and I don't just mean in a plunge-neck dress)? As the #DCEU rockets forward with its superstar superhero lineup, Gadot's part as #WonderWoman brings the amazonian heroine to cinemas for the first time since 1941. As our lead knuckles down to kick some supervillain ass, Wonder Woman looks set to fly away with the competition when director Patty Jenkins releases her film on June 2.

With parts in Knight and Day and the Fast and Furious films, Gadot's resume may not be as expansive as the likes of Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, but she has slowly made a name for herself as one to watch. The 32-year-old may now be firmly behind her role as Princess Diana of Themyscira, however, she nearly left the red carpet champagne premieres behind and in favor of a simpler life.

Golden Gal

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Gadot opened up on her near departure from Tinsel Town before she was offered the part of Diana Prince:

“This profession, the rejection is tough. I had so many almost and another camera test and it was almost mine. Then another and another. I was telling my husband, I’m not sure how long I can take it. Dragging my family to Los Angeles doing this.”

However, the fates smiled on Gadot and Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder clearly saw something in her. The Israeli beauty auditioned for an unknown role, only to find out that Snyder was casting his very own Wonder Woman for an expanded part in the expanded universe:

“I’m in Israel, they tell me they wanted to do a camera test–again, a camera test, again–another almost, almost. [I asked] ‘What am I being tested for? What’s the part?’ My agent goes, ‘They didn’t tell you?’ Zack calls me and tells me, ‘I dunno if you have this character in Israel, if she’s big or not, but did you ever hear about Wonder Woman?’ [I said] ‘Wonder Woman, I’ll be there yeah.'”

Although Prince played second fiddle to Batman and Superman's bust-up, Gadot's performance was praised as one of the highlights of an otherwise so-so film. With Lynda Carter being famous for portraying the character on TV from 1975 to 1979, Gadot certainly had an uphill struggle to reinvent Diana for the 21st century. Thankfully, in a world of female-first heroism and political powerhouses, Wonder Woman couldn't be timed better to shake up the stereotypical male-dominated world of superhero cinema.

Opening the doors to the likes of Gotham City Sirens and Batgirl, Wonder Woman is just the start of DC putting its leading ladies at the head. Undoubtedly, Gadot quitting acting would've given us a very different landscape for the future, and who knows who would've nabbed the elusive role. However, with our Gal firmly on board for the likes of #JusticeLeague and most probably a Wonder Woman sequel, I can't think of a better woman to fly Prince's invisible jet to glory.