7 Things You Don't Know About Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman

It's been speculated and rumored for months now. Will Wonder Woman make an appearance in the Man of Steel follow-up Batman Vs. Superman? Warner Bros. made it official this morning, as director Zack Snyder announced Fast & Furious star Gal Gadot as Princess Diana of Themyscira.

Here is what he had to say.

"Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe. Not only is Gal Gadot an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal Gadot in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character."

Much like the casting of Ben Affleck as Batman, this latest addition to the impending Superman sequel is causing quite a bit of controversy this morning, with more than a few fans balking at this unique choice. Its clear that Zack Snyder is playing by his own rules here, which is pleasing some of you, but angering others. The two main concerns we're hearing most is that she's 'too skinny' to play Wonder Woman (you don't hear that too often in Hollywood) and that she is overcrowding what is supposed to be a true Man of Steel sequel, not a DC launching pad for its impending Justice League movie. Some even speculate that the actual title of the movie is not Batman Vs. Superman, but will instead be revealed as Justice League sometime early in the New Year. Will that happen? Who knows? Only Warner Bros. and Zack Snyder know at this point, and maybe even they aren't too sure...

Gal Gadot is an interesting casting choice in that she's fairly unknown. Even fans of The Fast and the Furious franchise had to be reminded of who she is. So, we're going to update you real quick. Here are 7 things you probably don't yet know about Gal and why we think they make her a pretty decent (but let's be honest, not the best) choice to play Wonder Woman in what is turning out to be DC's first big ensemble movie in the fashion of Marvel's The Avengers.

[1] She Competed in the 2004 Miss Universe Pageant for Israel

Miss Universe 2004 Israel

Gal Gadot is one of Israel's top models, and at the age of 19, she won the Miss Israel title in 2004. She went onto represent the country in the 2004 Miss Universe beauty pageant, though she did not place in the top 15. She has much love for her home country, but hopes that she is not only seen as an export. She does not feel that she represents Israel in Hollywood, but instead, she hopes to represent herself. This all plays directly into Wonder Woman's own background as a foreigner who comes to America to make a name for herself while serving her country, but she's not out to become the token Amazonian superhero in a world dominated by white male Americans. Both learned how to speak English to further their careers in this country, and now they are being unified on the big screen together as the embodiment of one. Its clear that Gal Gadot understands the mindset of Princess Diana and her place in this particular comic book landscape.

[2] She Served as a Sports Trainer and is an Accomplished Motorcyclist

Gal Gadot 2 Motorcycle

Many have complained that Gal Gadot is too skinny to be Wonder Woman. And that she is too small for Ben Affleck, especially if she is supposed to be his girlfriend. But the actress stands at 5' 9", and certainly knows how to kick-ass. She has an extensive background in sports training, and is an avid motorcycle rider who favors the black 2006 Ducati Monster-S2R. Sure, she is not the overblown heroine that we know from the comic books, But that type fits more into the real world that Zack Snyder is continuing to create for the established DC Comics on-screen universe. She has the skills to play an action hero, that much is for sure. Now, we'll just have to wait and see how those motorcycle maneuvers come in handy when flying the invisible plane.

[3] She Made Her American Acting Debut in Fast & Furious

Fast and Furious

Gal Gadot was one of the new cast additions to The Fast and the Furious franchise when Universal Pictures decided to relaunch the series in 2009. She is most well known in the states for playing Gisele Harrabo. She went onto appear in Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6, becoming part of Dominic Toretto's team and girlfriend of Han. She would be killed off in this last installment, which premiered this past summer, trying to save the love of her life. If there is one thing she's learned from being in these movies, it's how to shoot a great action scene, and more importantly, she's learned how to keep up with the boys. And so far, the DC on-screen universe has almost exclusively been a boy's club, as this will be the first big screen incarnation of the popular hero in the history of the character, who debuted in All-Star Comics #8 in January, 1942.

[4] She Served Two Years in the Israeli Military

Israeli Military

Also proving that she will be quite capable of portraying the leading female superhero in possibly all of comic book history, its true that the model-turned-actress served two years in the Israeli Military while continuing to strut her stuff on the catwalk. Working with the Israel Defense Forces, She proved herself quite proficient in all types of weaponry, especially Israeli firearms, which makes her a force to recon with on and off the screen. We can't wait to see what she does with a lasso and bullet-proof bracelets as an accessory.

[5] She Is a Well Known Israeli TV Star

Gal Gadot 5

Before making her big screen debut in Fast & Furious, she played the lead in the Israeli TV series Bubot (meaning Dolls), which didn't stray too far from her own personal experiences, as she was asked to portray a model. She then went onto appear in Asfur, another Israeli soap opera. It was about four friends living in abandoned buses on the property of a millionaire. She also played herself on the satirical Israeli series Eretz Nehederet, which proved she was quite proficient at playing comedy, something that will surely come in handy in Batman Vs. Superman, as Man of Steel was quite serious, a tonal problem Zack Snyder has promised to correct, if even just a little.

[6] She Serves as the Face of Castro, Israel's Largest Clothing Brand

Castro

Some fans don't think Gal Gadot has the right look for Wonder Woman, that she isn't the right type of 'pretty'. Well, manufactures would like to disagree. Gal has lined up quite the endorsement deals in her short but bourgeoning career as a model, and appearing on a Coke can dressed as Wonder Woman will come as no strange thing to this model when it happens. Since 2008, she has served as the leading model for Castro, one of Israel's largest clothing brands known around the world. She has also teamed up with Vine Vera skin care products to promote the innovative breakthrough ingredient Reversatrol, which helps slow down the aging process by twenty years. This is perfect, because Wonder Woman never ages. She has also been a featured Maxim model, and has landed herself on the cover of the New York Post. We wanted a hot Wonder Woman with smarts and fighting skills, that's pretty much what we're going here.

[7] She Loves Her Fans And Strives to be a Role Model for Young Girls

Gal Gadot 7

If being in The Fast and the Furious franchise taught Gal anything, its to love her fans, and believe in them, and give back 100%. Which means she's going to devote herself to the role of Wonder Woman in a way some other actresses might not. Throughout her career, the actress admits that she has felt a lot of responsibility and wants to shine as a role model for young girls. Its her goal to show how empowered and strong women can be, and that they don't need to be saved by some male hero. She is out to prove that women can take care of themselves using their intelligence and power, which is exactly what Wonder Woman embodies at her core.

Those are just some of the things we have learned about Gal Gadot since she was announced as Wonder Woman. Does any of this change your mind about her casting? Do you like the choice? Or do you still feel it was an odd one? Let us know your true feelings.