How the IDF prepared Wonder Woman Gal Gadot for Hollywood

Gal Gadot’s stint in the Israeli Defense Forces might have given her the emotional and physical stamina to prepare for a Hollywood career, but the Wonder Woman star is still laboring to master the Amazon’s golden lasso–a skill not offered in boot camp.

30-year-old Gal Gadot graces the cover of Fashion Magazine’s August issue, where she discussed her upcoming role as Wonder Woman in “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice,” as well as her playing the role in a standalone film “Wonder Woman,” scheduled for release in 2017.

In addition to learning to use a golden lasso, she is also busy as the spokeswoman for Gucci’s Bamboo fragrance.

The former Miss Israel 2004 was a law student following her army service, and didn’t envision an acting career. She told EW that, prior to landing the “Fast & Furious” franchise, she thought, “There’s no way I’m going to go (to an audition). It’s all in English, I’m not an actress. I’m in school.”

Gadot says she enjoys playing Wonder Woman, because she likes to play tough women. “I want to do all kinds of action. I want to have gunshots. I want to fly up in the air on a motorcycle. I want to do it all by myself–no stuntwoman.”

Gadot is critical of the fact that there aren’t more roles for strong women and says one reason may be the dearth of female screenwriters. “My biggest challenge is to find more strong parts.”

Gadot told Fashion that her time in the Israeli military helped prepare her for Hollywood, and that the comments she received back home when she became Miss Israel served as ample training for the biting criticism celebrities often face.

“After they asked me, in Israel, if I have eating disorders, and why I am so skinny,” suggesting “that my head was too big and my body was like a broomstick,” the comments she has to absorb in the States are “just empty talk” in comparison.

Gadot has a three-year-old daughter, Alma, with husband Yaron Versano. She believes that every woman is a bit like Wonder Woman:

“Nowadays being a woman is hard, because we have to be the best wife, best mother, best worker, best everything.”