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[LordOfLore]

Link.

One day, Gadot's modeling agency, which also represented actors, informed her that the casting director for the upcoming James Bond film Quantum of Solace who was in town looking for the next Bond girl, had seen her photo on the wall and requested that she come in to audition. She begged off, insisting that she was not an actress or prepared to play a role in English. But her agent insisted that she show up, and she did, doing well enough to land several callbacks. Although that part ultimately did not pan out for her, it piqued her interest in acting — "I was like, 'Wow, this is fascinating — this is so much more exciting than going to freaking law school,'" Gadot laughs — and she started working with an acting coach, informing her agency that she now was interested in acting opportunities. Before long, she landed the lead on an Israeli TV series — "the best school for me," she reflects — and then the same casting agent who had pursued her for Quantum of Solace went after her for the role of Gisele, an ex-Mossad motorcyclist, for the Fast and the Furious franchise. She wound up appearing in its four most recent installments.

But outside of the Fast and the Furious opportunities, Gadot was struggling to find traction in Hollywood. "I had so many almosts for big, great things, but I was never big enough of a name," she says, citing as an example the part that Charlize Theron ultimately played in 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road. "It was always me and 'the big name.'" The "rejection" proved hard for her and she felt increasing "pressure," particularly because each audition required her, her husband and her young daughter to commute from Israel to Hollywood. "It just came to a point where I was like, 'I don't want to do this to my family. If it's not going to work, why push it?'" she recalls. "I was on the verge of quitting everything and just going back to Israel." But a week before the date listed on what she expected to be her final return ticket from Hollywood, Warner Bros. asked her to audition for a secret project. She showed up, read for director Zack Snyder and then flew back to Israel. A few weeks later, she received a call, was told that she was being considered for a role in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and was asked to come back to town to do a camera test opposite Ben Affleck. "I'm like, 'What the fuck is going on?'" she remembers. Snyder finally told her that she was being considered for the part of Wonder Woman — at that point only in Batman v. Superman — and she was ecstatic because of "everything that [Wonder Woman] represents." Gadot explains, "For me it was like, 'Oh, my God, that was my dream role!'"

More at the link. Focus on the actual content on the podcast and not politics etc.

 

[Geist-]

Theron was the right choice.

 

[DecoReturns]

Charlize is the better actress so I think they made the right choice.

She's was pretty good in Wonder Woman, Looking forward to the sequel

 

[Oppo]

i don't quite get why her family had to follow her for auditions.

 

[Lights and Waves]

I'd love to see Charlize join WW as a villain. Either as Circe, Giganta or Veronica Cale.

Lupita would have made such a bad ass Cheetah, but Marvel snatched her up.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

Great choice for Furiosa and great choice for Wonder Woman. Glad she didn't give up.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Thanks, will listen.
Her interview with Robbie Collins a while back was also pretty interesting. She didn't sound too eager to return to the F&F franchise.

I'd love to see Charlize join WW as a villain. Either as Circe, Giganta or Veronica Cale.

Lupita would have made such a bad ass Cheetah, but Marvel snatched her up.

It might be a little bit too obvious but Lupita would be a perfect Vixen.
Charlize as Cale sounds great.

 

[Buckle]

Right call. Theron is a much better actress.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

Theron was the right choice.

Absolutely.

The rejection was so she could work on her craft and be wonder woman. Things seemed to have worked out.

 

[Roronoa Zoro]

Not gonna lie she was probably my least favorite part of Wonder Woman (and yes I know the film is called Wonder Woman). So can't be too disappointed that she wasn't in mad max. Love Theron and hopefully she gets involved in the Wonder Woman franchise as a villain

 

[Geist-]

Not gonna lie she was probably my least favorite part of Wonder Woman (and yes I know the film is called Wonder Woman). So can't be too disappointed that she wasn't in mad max. Love Theron and hopefully she gets involved in the Wonder Woman franchise as a villain

That's a pretty good idea. I'd love to see that.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Not gonna lie she was probably my least favorite part of Wonder Woman (and yes I know the film is called Wonder Woman).

Complete opposite here, she made that entire movie for me.

 

[HyperZone<3]

I gotta eat crow about Gadot (that doesn't actually rhyme, I think)

I didn't think she had it. I was unimpressed with her in the F&F movies, and had really wished they'd given the role to Gina Carano (if you had to pick anybody from F&F...). While I still very much wish Carano was having a better career I hugely underestimated Gadot in every respect. I was wrong to think that a person playing an underwritten role couldn't be a good actor, and I was wrong to think that she only got the part due to her beauty.

I was wrong, wrong, wrong. Gadot is likely to have a long and successful career (having a successful franchise role locked up for the next decade helps), and it'll be interesting to see what kind of parts she nails when she's not wielding a lasso.

 

[broncobuster]

She ended up great as Wonder Woman, but I just can't imagine her as Furiosa. Likewise she was up for Faora in Man of Steel and there's a similar disconnect there for me.

And agreed with others about Theron playing Circe in Wonder Woman 2. As I understand it, Patty Jenkins talked to her for a role in WW she had to turn down, which I imagine was Antiope played by Robin Wright.

I'd also love a contrived reason for Diana and Faora to fight.

 

[Farsi]

Complete opposite here, she made that entire movie for me.

Same, and I went in expecting Chris Pine to make the movie for me but she did it for me.

 

[LordOfLore]

Not gonna lie she was probably my least favorite part of Wonder Woman (and yes I know the film is called Wonder Woman). So can't be too disappointed that she wasn't in mad max. Love Theron and hopefully she gets involved in the Wonder Woman franchise as a villain

Paula von Gunther:

One of Diana's first female villains and someone who has been used A LOT lately. Doesn't even have to be in World War 2.

 

[Aurongel]

Gal Gadot is a classier, nicer actress than most but she ain't no Charlize Theron. She deserves better roles though.

 

[Broken Joystick]

I think Gal would have been okay as Furiosa but whatever the hell went on between Theron and Hardy elevated their performances and really sold their relationship with one another. I can't see Gadot acting with Hardy like Theron did.

 

[Syriel]

...had really wished they'd given the role to Gina Carano ...

Too bad she can't carry a film. Haywire was uninspiring.

 

[Kin5290]

Too bad she can't carry a film. Haywire was uninspiring.

Haywire was 60% good, with moments of greatness, but the final act is pretty underwhelming.

I found Gal Gadot to be lacking in the acting department, especially during key moments like the third act twist. Jenkins et al also screwed up by not dirtying her up a bit, which would have lent more verisimilitude to the war scenes.

 

[anaron]

I love Gal more and more as Diana every time I watch it and really think she's perfect as her now.

That being said, Theron was definitely the best choice.

 

[Razgriz-Specter]

Same, and I went in expecting Chris Pine to make the movie for me but she did it for me.

Yup, kinda just expected her just to be serviceable even after I liked her in BvS.

 

[Imm0rt4l]

Theron was the right choice.

.

 

[Falchion]

She won't have to worry about not being a big enough name to get roles now.

 

[brawly]

Gal couldn't pull of short hair.

 

[shaneo632]

Not convinced of Gadot's range as an actress but she's done very well as Wonder Woman.

I don't think she could've brought the gravity, physicality and world-weary qualities needed for Furiosa. Charlize was the right choice, obviously.