While most major superheroes are introduced to the big screen nowadays in their very own solo films, this wasn't the case for Wonder Woman. Audiences met the DC Extended Universe incarnation of the character in Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and it's only now -- 15 months later -- that we are seeing her get her own blockbuster adventure. Naturally, this has had a particular effect on star Gal Gadot, who recently told me about the journey she's taken with the heroine up to her performance in Justice League:
When I just started, the first time I played Wonder Woman, was on Batman v Superman, and it was current day, so I got to play the 'end result' of who Wonder Woman is. And I was very curious to understand and really go through who she is and how she became Wonder Woman. And finally on Wonder Woman we had the chance to go and dig deep, and really establish this beautiful character.
I had the wonderful opportunity to talk with Gal Gadot earlier this month at the Los Angeles press day for Wonder Woman, and our short discussion centered on the odd path she has taken with her first superhero character. Thinking towards the future, I asked the actress about the experience she had making Justice League as it compared to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice -- having had the chance to really dive into Wonder Woman's backstory in director's Patty Jenkins' solo film. Referring back to her time on the first movie she did with Zack Snyder, she went on to explain how the process has changed her perception of the part and what she wants to express with it.
Specifically, Gal Gadot told me that it was important for her to make Diana Prince a relatable character to audiences -- and used her time making Wonder Woman to ultimately reflect that. Without knowing who she really is and the context of where she comes from, she may just appear as an incredibly powerful, almost god-like being... and that's wasn't something that Gadot was interested in. Said the actress,
And it was really important for Patty and me that this character will be relatable. And I think the fact that she's the most powerful warrior, but she can also be vulnerable; and she can be confident but confused; blunt, but curious. There's so many different qualities to her character that makes her not perfect and easier for us to relate. She's still Diana, but nowadays she's wiser and more educated about the complexities of life and the world and mankind. But she's always full of compassion and warmth and love for everyone.
It will definitely be interesting to see how Wonder Woman winds up changing perception of the DC Extended Universe character when we see her again on the big screen in just a few months in Justice League. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice we got a taste of her as a hero willing to jump into action in a time of crisis, but her solo films provides a much greater depth -- letting us know what she has sacrificed and gone through to become the person she is. Not to mention that her past will surely wind up having an effect on the way she reacts around other people -- including other superheroes.
You can watch Gal Gadot discuss the journey she's taken with Wonder Woman by clicking play in the video below!
This interview is just the tip of the iceberg, as I had had the chance to talk to not only Gal Gadot at the Wonder Woman press day, but also the other stars of the film as well as director Patty Jenkins and producer Charles Roven. Stay tuned for more stories from those interviews, and look for the brand new DC Extended Universe movie in a theater near you this Friday, June 2nd.
