Part of Fast & Furious featuring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, and Tyrese Gibson.
Rise to Fame
Her mother entered her in Miss Israel 2004 without telling her. Gadot won, competed in Miss Universe, and later said she tried not to win. That accidental modeling career got her into a Fast & Furious audition, where she landed the role of Gisele Yashar in 2009. The real jump came in December 2013, when she was cast as Wonder Woman alongside Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill. She trained in swordsmanship, kickboxing, and capoeira and gained 17 pounds of muscle before a frame was shot. The 2017 standalone film made $821 million worldwide, and for a few years she was the most bankable action star in Warner Bros.' lineup.
In the Spotlight
The DCU reboot cut her loose as Wonder Woman in 2025, with Adria Arjona reportedly James Gunn's top pick for the role. Snow White (2025) opened to mixed reviews and became a boycott target, tied to her outspoken support of Israel after October 7, 2023. She posted 'I stand with Israel' the day of the Hamas attack, shared names and photos of hostages on Instagram, and received death threats that prompted Disney to assign bodyguards. The Cleopatra biopic and Red Notice 2 remain in development, but her run as Hollywood's go-to action heroine looks like it's behind her.
Side Notes
In February 2024, eight months pregnant with her fourth daughter, doctors diagnosed her with cerebral venous thrombosis, a rare stroke. Emergency delivery came first, then immediate brain surgery. She didn't speak publicly about it for months. Her grandfather Abraham survived Auschwitz; his mother and brother didn't. Her English came from watching Seinfeld and Friends. These details don't fit the polished public image, but they explain a lot about why she doesn't seem rattled by anything.