Todays Birthday 30/4
Today's Birthday, April 30: Gal Gadot, Israeli actor, model (1985 - ).
From Miss Israel to combat trainer for the national Army, it's no wonder Gal Gadot's stunning looks coupled with her physical prowess led to her role as one of the most iconic female figures to date; Wonder Woman.
The film - with a female director and a female-dominated cast - was an unprecedented success for Warner Brothers and became one of the highest grossing films of 2017.
Born and raised in Israel, Gadot's maternal grandparents were survivors of the Holocaust.
Growing up she spent years learning many forms of dance but early aspirations of a career as a choreographer were replaced when was won the coveted crown of Miss Israel, aged 18.
After a talent scout convinced Gadot to participate in the 2004 Miss Israel competition, she signed up for the invaluable experience. Shocked by her win, she later confessed she never wanted the title.
Following this, she served the mandatory two years in the Israeli army as a combat trainer.
She believes the insight into weapons and military training led to her breakout Hollywood role, and ability to perform some of her own stunts in Fast & Furious - the fourth instalment in The Fast and Furious franchise (2009).
She has worked on multiple Israeli television series including Bubot (2007), Asfur (2011), and Kathmandu (2012).
Gadot had small roles in Hollywood films including Date Night (2010), Triple 9 (2016), as well as playing Ryan Reynolds' wife in Criminal (2016).
But it was her depiction of superhero Wonder Woman alongside an all-star ensemble cast for Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), that won her significant praise.
While the film underperformed, her own solo Wonder Woman film (2017) was a roaring success. For the role, Gadot learned horse riding, sword-fighting, Kung Fu, and gained 7 kilograms of muscle over six months - through gruelling six-hour daily gym sessions.
She reprised the role for Justice League released in the same year.
Gadot welcomed her second daughter to businessman husband Yaron Versano in March 2017.
