Gal Gadot Opens Up About Her Beauty Pageant Journey and Why She Never Wanted to Win Miss Universe

Back in the day, Gal Gadot held the title of beauty queen. However, in her recent interview with Vanity Fair’s November issue, the 35-year-old Wonder Woman actress revealed that she didn’t find it enjoyable. Having been crowned Miss Israel in 2004, she made sure to avoid winning the Miss Universe title that same year. Recounting her experience, the 5ft10in star exclaimed, “Oh, my God!” Apparently, Paula Abdul was one of the judges who asked her a question, and Gadot responded with a heavy accent saying, “Me no speak English, so sorry.” She did everything in her power to ensure that she wouldn’t win the crown.

Gal Gadot, who is well-known for her role as Wonder Woman, revealed in an interview featured in the November edition of Vanity Fair that her experience as a beauty queen was not enjoyable. The 35-year-old actress, who previously held the title, shared this sentiment in a video published by the magazine.

She never expected to become Miss Israel when she participated in the pageant in 2004. Even at the Miss Universe competition that same year, she did not try to win the crown. However, she ended up taking home the title of Miss Israel and admitted in a 2017 interview with Rolling Stone that she never thought it was possible. In fact, her initial motivation was just to enjoy the experience of traveling to Europe as a contestant. Fast forward to the present, and she is now gearing up for the release of her next Wonder Woman film, titled Wonder Woman 1984, on December 25, 2020. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she shared that the movie will delve deeper into themes like greed and danger, which are especially relevant in today’s world. She also revealed that she earned $300K for the first Wonder Woman film and a whopping $10M for the sequel.

Uninterested: The 5ft10in celebrity exclaimed, “Paula Abdul was judging, and she asked me a question. In response, I used a heavy accent and pretended not to speak English by saying, ‘Me no speak English, so sorry.’ I took every possible measure to avoid the situation.”

In the photo, the actress is situated on the far right of Miss Canada while performing a dance. She then expressed her thoughts about how people nowadays always want more, and once they achieve their goals, there’s always a new standard to reach. This kind of mindset made her wonder if people lose themselves in this never-ending competition. Gal shared how emotional she gets whenever she watches the opening scene of 1984 where Lilly Aspell, who plays the young Wonder Woman, participates in a physical contest. She believes that visualization is a significant factor in achieving our dreams and becoming who we aspire to be. Unfortunately, boys have always been represented as the protagonist and the strong ones in movies, leaving little to no room for girls to relate and become inspired.

Gal Gadot, the Israeli actress and mother of two, revealed that she is moved to tears when she watches the opening scene of 1984 where Lilly Aspell plays the young Wonder Woman in a physical contest. She believes that it is important to see something visually before being able to dream of becoming it. Playing the iconic superhero has had a significant impact on her own daughter, Alma, who was excited to watch the film but also found it difficult to watch her mother fight the bad guys. Gadot skipped the scary parts, but her daughter loved the rest of the movie and is proud of her mother’s role. Recently, Gadot faced criticism for her rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine while self-isolating in her mansion.

Gal Gadot discussed the impact of portraying Wonder Woman, particularly on her own daughter. As a mother to two children, Alma and Maya, with her husband Jaron Varsano, Gal shared that she showed the film to her eldest daughter, who was both excited and struggled to separate Gal from her on-screen character battling villains. While Gal intended to do something good and pure, she admitted that it did not fully resonate with everyone. In March, during the COVID-19 lockdown, Gal was part of a video alongside other celebrities like Natalie Portman, Zoe Kravitz, and Amy Adams, which was criticized for being out of touch. However, Gal emphasized that everything had started with good intentions.

At the 2017 World Premiere of Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot was accompanied by her mentor and director Patty Jenkins. Recently, in a video posted on social media, Gadot shared her philosophical musings on the impact of the pandemic on the world. She noted that COVID-19 has affected everyone, regardless of their background or location. Inspired by a viral video of an Italian man playing trumpet for his quarantined neighborhood, Gadot launched into a rendition of a popular song. The video also featured other celebrities like Kristen Wiig, Jamie Dornan, Labrinth, James Marsden, and Sarah Silverman delivering lines.

Back in March, Gal Gadot and her famous pals faced criticism for their performance of John Lennon’s classic hit Imagine while being in quarantine. The internet community labeled them as ‘out of touch’ for singing about having ‘no possessions’ from the comfort of their luxurious mansions.

In her cover story for Vanity Fair in November 2020, Gal shared her perspective on the controversial video in which she and other celebrities sang John Lennon’s “Imagine.” She expressed that despite her good intentions, the outcome was not what she had hoped for. Gal explained that she initially started the project with a few friends before Kristen Wiig helped bring more people on board. Although her intention was to spread positivity and love, the final result fell short of her expectations.

Nancy Jo Sales, the writer for Vanity Fair, recently contacted Gal for a comment after she faced criticism for her role as Cleopatra in an upcoming movie directed by the same person who directed Wonder Woman. Gal spoke about her straightforward nature, admitting that it can sometimes lead her into trouble. However, she has learned to phrase her disagreements politely by saying “I don’t disagree with you, but.” She believes in being true to herself and speaking her mind, even if it means people may not like her in that moment. The backlash against Gal’s casting as Cleopatra was due to misconceptions about the queen’s heritage. Contrary to popular belief, Cleopatra was most likely of Greek or Persian descent.

Could it be another success for Armie Hammer and Gal Gadot? Fans are eagerly anticipating their roles as Simon Doyle and Linnet Ridgeway, respectively, in the upcoming film Death On The Nile from 20th Century Studios. The movie is set to hit theaters on December 18th.