8_Days__June_1_2017

What was your first memory of
Wonder Woman?
GAL GADOT: When I was growing
up, Wonder Woman was a
household name, so I always knew
of her, even though I wasn’t a big
comic book fan at the time.
Audiences loved your scenes
as Wonder Woman in Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice. Did
those positive reactions impact
your work in Wonder Woman?
At the end of the day, I felt really
lucky. I was really, really grateful
and happy that the audience
enjoyed my Wonder Woman in such
a beautiful way. But then, going
on to the next movie — to Wonder
Woman — I was very focused on
making the character the best she
could be. Because when you try
to please the audience, when you
try to please everyone, you leave
your own truth. And you can never
please everyone. So, for me, it’s
better to stick to my truth and work
toward what I think is best for the
character, the same way I did on
Batman v Superman.
I know getting in physical shape
to play Wonder Woman must
have been a daunting challenge.
But how you did you prepare
mentally and emotionally to play
the character?
I was really, really excited about
doing a standalone Wonder Woman
film. I was also really curious about
how we’d tell her story because
it would be the first time I’d be
doing such a huge role. So, from
time to time I felt like a little girl
looking up at Mount Everest, trying
to figure out the best way to reach
its pinnacle. I was nervous! But
at the same time, I had this inner
positive feeling that everything
was going to be okay. Luckily, I’m
pretty good under stress, and we
made it work. I was really lucky to
work with people who were all in
sync, creatively, and with whom I
had great chemistry. All that made
filming a wonderful experience.
What was the most challenging part of your physical training?
The most difficult aspect of the physical training was the accumulated
volume of all of it. It wasn’t just going to the gym; each day, I was
training in the gym for two hours, then I’d do horseback riding for
a few hours, and then return to the gym for another two hours of
martial arts training. I would do that six days a week. Honestly, it was
exhausting! But after two-and-a-half months, I really started to enjoy it.
But kick-starting that level of training, it was tough.
There are many big action scenes in Wonder Woman, but
the action is always accompanied by emotion and character
reveals. How do those action scenes help shape the character
of Wonder Woman?
We always wanted to find the right emotional tone for each action
scene. Our director, Patty Jenkins, and I really enjoyed doing that,
because every action comes from within, and every action actually
has emotion, whether it’s excitement, stress or nervousness. It was
very important to fine-tune the underlying emotional tone of each
action scene.
Got protection?
Wonder Woman’s
prop shield is
made of carbon
fibre Kevlar
and is rigged
with a vibrating
mechanism and
a firing system
of 48 sparks that
mimicks the
bullets it deflects
when she comes
under intense fire.
You mentioned your director, Patty Jenkins. You collaborated
with Patty on Wonder Woman, after working with director Zack
Snyder on Batman v Superman — and before rejoining Zack on
Justice League. What was it like working with Patty and Zack?
Well, let me start by saying that I love them both. They’re both
incredibly talented and great storytellers. Of course, each has a
different filmmaking style. Because I worked with Patty on a standalone
Wonder Woman movie, it was a lengthier collaboration; we worked
together every day for over nine months. With Zack, Wonder Woman
was one of several principal characters in BvS and Justice League.
I think that Zack has a beautiful cinematic style, unlike any I’d
experienced. With Patty, it’s all about the heart of story or character,
and how to make the emotional space as specific as possible.
What does Chris Pine, who portrays Steve Trevor, bring to the
dynamic between your character, Diana, and Steve?
Chris brings the best thing: humor. We had great chemistry and made
each other laugh the entire production. He is just a fun guy to work
with and to be around. His sense of humor is a big part of Diana and
Steve’s relationship.