There’s a lot of pressure to unite aspects of the comic, animated, and live-action Wonder Woman depictions, but Gal Gadot has these mannerisms down.
Gal Godot has been taking on roles vastly different than Wonder Womanwhile fans wait for the next installment of the series. Meanwhile, Gadot has finished filming as the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White.
Her choices of roles like the Evil Queen are certainly part of an effort to avoid being typecast after her successful depiction of Diana Prince in Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman 1984, and Justice League. But regardless of the work she does in the future,Gadot managed to translate many of Wonder Woman’s iconic comic mannerisms into a live-action portrayal that connected with the fanbase, leaving her irrevocably linked with the character.
The Arm Cross
Diana’s strength is an iconic part of the Amazonian warrior princess’s characteristics in any version of the character. However, Gal Gadot embodies Diana’s power by embracing the iconic imagery of Wonder Woman’s crossed-arm pose.
Because of the prevalence of this pose’s imagery, it could have been easy for Gadot to downplay the importance of this pose by turning it into an Easter egg-style reference to the character’s previous iterations. Instead, the level of intent and purpose she infuses into the pose’s action changes her portrayal from playing Wonder Woman to being Wonder Woman.
Naïveté
In the first Wonder Woman film, Diana’s introduction to the world of man was regarded as something the movie handed in a better way than in DC comics. Her experiences with Steve Trevor and in London are made more believable by the clarity of thought in Gadot’s expressions and delivery.
It’s in this sense that Diana’s lack of experience in the modern world and the limitations of her practical knowledge come out in Gadot’s portrayal. Her straightforward and practical line delivery about the era’s delicate subjects is reminiscent of the current linguistic style in modern comic interpretations of the character.
Grace
As Wonder Woman is arguably the most iconic female superhero, it was important that Gadot and director Patty Jenkins embraced the aspects of femininity that Wonder Woman represents. Diana’s upbringing revolved around the Amazonian princess’ warrior training, and there’s an element of gracefulness to the character as a result.
It’s not just the moments where Gal Gadot gets to stun the audience in a beautifully designed dress (although there’s no shortage of those scenes either). From fight scenes to instances of darkness and despair to light-hearted moments, Gadot brings elegance and fluidity to every aspect of Diana’s movement.
Likability
One of Diana’s best qualities is her likability. The character may feel like she’s a little bit of an outsider, but often has a way of putting others at ease. One of the most famous Wonder Woman quotes says “…don’t raise your hand at all until you’ve first extended it.”
Whether it’s building up a team of underdogs with Steve Trevor in the first Wonder Woman, befriending Barbara Minerva in Wonder Woman 1984, or reaching out to Victor Stone in Zach Snyder’s Justice League, Gadot’s performance highlights the character’s ability to relate and connect to others on a deep level.
Intelligence
In almost every version of the character, both live-action and animated, Diana’s intelligence makes her stand out as a key figure in DC Comics mythology. The DC Extended Universe is no different. Gadot as Diana demonstrates a level of academic knowledge in her professional career as a museum curator.
Another example of her intelligence comes from her ability to hide in plain sight for decades as Wonder Woman. Being able to believably portray a woman who has lived through, adapted to, and experienced so much life is a clear commentary on Gadot’s skill in bringing Wonder Woman to the screen.
Cooperation
Even though she’s had plenty of her own titles and battles, Diana’s teamwork and cooperation are a major aspect of the character’s development. This is most clear in what IMDb ranks as Gadot’s best film, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but Gadot makes it clear in each of her appearances that Diana is willing and capable of working with a team.
Opposite major names in the industry like Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Chris Pine, Gadot works with them without falling into a passive portrayal of the character, even in scenes that were re-written and blocked to objectify Diana.
Arrogance And Stubbornness
One of the more negative mannerisms of Wonder Woman was especially prevalent in Wonder Woman 1984. As Gadot battles against Padro Pascal’s version of Max Lord and his use of the dream stone, there’s a clear line of comparison drawn between to two.
While this character comparison highlights their behavior as foils, it shows how similar Gadot’s Diana is to Pascal’s Lord. Gadot’s moony eyes at Trevor and her dismissal of Barbara emphasize Diana’s humanity, with Gadot demonstrating that even the Amazonian princess isn’t immune to selfishness and arrogance through her actions and the narrative framework of the film.
Heart
When it comes to the emotional aspects of heroes, Wonder Woman’s interactions with the people she helps, especially the children, is a trait that Gadot brings into even more focus than the animated or print versions of the character. Her voice inflections, small facial movements, and eye expressiveness all influence the character’s interactions with the people she helps.
These engagements and inflections translate even better on-screen than they do from panel to panel. Gadot’s thoughtful use of these mannerisms demonstrates which era of the comics, animated, and Linda Carter versions of Wonder Woman influenced Gadot’s approach to her portrayal.
Walk
The first Wonder Woman film was praised for many things, including the strong visual style of director Patty Jenkins. With Diana’s journey across No Man’s Land being hailed as the biggest standout scene for many viewers, it established the correlation between the tone of the character in the comics and the cinematic development of Diana Prince.
Most importantly, Gadot’s style of movement throughout the scene established the character’s pride, bravery, and fierceness, simply by the way she held herself. Placing her center of gravity in a more neutral core area versus the upper register emphasizes Diana’s strength.
Humor
The most unexpected mannerism of Wonder Woman that Gadot manages to nail is the character’s sense of humor. While the current trend in comic adaptations, particularly in the DCEU, is to focus on the darker and glitter aspects of the characters, Wonder Woman is a character who has a lighter side.
Small moments like the iconic ice cream scene in Wonder Woman bring Gadot’s portrayal to the next level, as they feel straight out of the page, and moments like the mall scene in Wonder Woman 1984 serve to reinforce her humor as a mannerism and not just fan service.
