Interview with Wonder Woman Gal Gadot and Director Patty Jenkins – Out June 2nd!

Power of a goddess. Heart of a hero. Gal Gadot is #WonderWoman, in theaters June 2.

Hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures

From Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Entertainment comes the epic action adventure starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright, directed by Patty Jenkins.

Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

We had a chance to preview the movie last week and then interview the lovely Gal Gadot and director Patty Jenkins courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. I can not say enough about this movie! It is truly an empowering and uplifting film about doing good in the world. Gal Gadot is the perfect Wonder Woman and Patty Jenkins does a wonderful job directing. I truly feel it is one of my favorite all-time superhero movies out there! I loved the original Superman and Patty said that she used that movie as a reference to how she wanted this movie to play out. She remembered watching Superman at the young age of 7 and feels that it had a positive message for kids and adults and hoped to emmulate that in Wonder Woman. She surely did just that!

Be sure to grab your kids and go check out Wonder Woman this weekend! I joked with Patty that I wanted to be in Wonder Woman shape (see my comments below) and we thought we should set up a Wonder Woman/Amazon Women Boot Camp! Who wants to join me?! After you see the women in this movie – from Robin Wright to Connie Nielsen you’ll understand what I mean. They look amazing and so powerful!

Interview with director Patty Jenkins and Wonder Woman Gal Gadot

Blogger: Hi. I guess I’m just going to kick off with that. I mean, we’re in a room full of young girls. I was the one that sent the Tweet out about my nine year old daughter running around afterwards.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Oh, yes. That’s so amazing. And I just happened to pull that out because I was so touched by it.

Blogger: Yes, she was running around, I mean, beaming. I’ve never seen her beam after a movie, and I take her with me to a lot of movies – beaming, raving about it to my husband at home, we’ve got to go, you’ve got to go see it.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Oh, that’s so great.

Blogger: So, what does it mean for both of you guys to be leading this representation for young girls? I grew up not really seeing anybody on screen to be like that’s who I want to be, that’s who I look up to. And now, my daughter has you.

Ms. Gal Gadot: It’s amazing, it’s amazing, and I’m so touched by it. It’s funny because it’s my first time seeing girls that actually saw the movie.

And it’s just so moving for me. And your reaction means the world because this is why we make these movies. This is why it’s worth, so I’m very, very happy, and I’m so glad that you all love the movie.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Yes. And for me, when I was a kid, I saw Superman, and it made me feel like I could be a hero one day, and it’s lasted with me ever since and is one of the reasons I’m here today. But, it wasn’t until I saw the show of Wonder Woman on TV, which happened around the same time, when I was Wonder Woman on the playground, I was everything I ever wanted to be. So, sometimes, we’ve had these moments where we’re like, oh, my God, the idea that we could be a part of kids’ lives in that way is so beautiful and overwhelming, and we hope to give what we were given by other people.

Ms. Gal Gadot: Exactly.

Blogger: So, what do you feel is the most important part of being Wonder Woman?

Ms. Gal Gadot: Well, I think that it’s so important that we show a strong female figure and that we show her story. I think that me growing up, I could go and watch Superman or Batman, but I never had a strong female figure that really inspires me to look up to. And I think that this movie is so important for all of you young girls and also for boys, as well. I’ve seen many boys dressed as Wonder Woman.

And I think that what’s so beautiful about this character is that she’s very universal. Everyone can find something that he likes for himself about the character. And she stands for beautiful things, for love and for acceptance and compassion and truth, and these values are very important, especially nowadays.

And I think that, if we expose our kids to more of a goodness, then they will become greater. We’ll have a better society.

Blogger: I was wondering, so I love Robin Wright, and I think you guys were just so amazing together. And the scenes on the island were incredible. How did you do that, and how did everyone train for that? It was unbelievable?

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Well, I don’t even know where to begin because it was actually so complicated. To try to build all of the things you need to make this island in the history of Wonder Woman which is always an idealized place that happens to be populated by all of these women but is very real.

And so, it was a visual struggle to find all of the elements to put together to say that almost feels real. But, then to find the greatest women you could. What was cool about it was I’ve grown up knowing so many incredible women and so many incredible people. So, when you try to represent that in an island made up of only women, you end up pulling together so many different interesting people. Some are great at horse riding. Some was the greatest boxer in the world. Someone else is an incredible artisan.

And you end up with such a broad variety of people, and then you want to establish a world where they’re all one.

And so, we found these incredible women. They turned out to be such a broad variety of people, but, we needed the one who knew how to ride a horse to also know how to fight and the one who knew how to fight to know how to ride a horse. And so, we had to do this boot camp for months where each of them worked together every day to learn those other things.

And it turned into this incredibly inspiring cool thing because they all became really tight and really great friends, and how they approach things is slightly different than they might have if they were alone or not together. So, it was really awesome. It was great, and Robin was amazing.

Ms. Gal Gadot: It was.

Blogger: And Connie [Nielsen], too.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: And Connie.

Blogger: Yes, they were just amazing, so beautiful.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: They were so incredible, incredible.

Me: I want to go to the Wonder Woman boot camp.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Well, that’s funny because that’s the second time that’s come up today.

Me: Seriously, yes.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: And the conversation came up outside – we could start an Amazon Boot Camp. How cool would that be?

Wouldn’t that be so cool? Let’s do it.

Me: Yes, I’m game, I’m game.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: How fun would that be, an Amazon Boot Camp?

Where we celebrate all the different variety of things that it would take to be an Amazon and all the different types of people it would make up to do it, and everybody teaches each other their skills and tries to make the best of ourselves. Ah, I’m going to cry. That would be amazing.

Blogger: Yes, I love it.

Kate enjoyed interviewing Gal and the director, Patty.

Me: I’ll sign up, first in line. So, this comes from my daughter, from her fourth grade class, Mrs. Schneider’s class.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Awesome.

Me: They came up with ten questions. I’ll just ask you one.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: So cool.

Ms. Gal Gadot: Brilliant, what a good idea.

Me: She wants to know what was your favorite part of the movie, which part?

Ms. Gal Gadot: I have a few. One of them is in Veld, the dance in Veld. I think that was so romantic. I remember the night we shot it, we were shooting nights outside, and it just felt so real with the snow and with the piano at the back, and I remember that each day, Patty used to come to us and she said, well, let’s try something different just for the heck of it.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Yes, that was magic.

Ms. Gal Gadot: I told her that that was the first time that I felt like I’ve earned the title an actress when you really feel like something transcends through the camera, you know? So, that.

My first reveal as Wonder Woman – we shot it also outside.

Patty kept on saying, we’re just checking to see if you’re the true Wonder Woman, if you can keep up with the cold.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: We’ll see all the things we can throw at her. Okay, now you’re really tired, stand on one foot, and it’s below zero, go.

Ms. Gal Gadot: Exactly. Now run backwards.

What’s so wonderful about this movie, and I’ve done big franchise movies, and they were all so great, but this one is so special for me, other than the fact that it’s for my character. I’m completely honest with you. It felt like we were one big happy family.

We used to work for six days a week every week, and on our day off, like on a Saturday, I used to tell Patty, do you have plans for tomorrow, what are you doing, let’s do something.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Every day.

Ms. Gal Gadot: You know, you leave set, and it’s, okay, guys, love you. Everyone was so inclusive, and it’s not only the cast, it was everyone, from the people who took care of the lighting to the people who took care of the set. Everyone was part of it. And I think that it really shows, because when you have so many people who care so much about something, then, you just have to give your absolute best.

And now I don’t remember your question, but I think I answered it.

Me: What about you? What was your favorite scene?

Ms. Patty Jenkins: My favorite scene, when she stepped out of the trench, that was one that everything needed to lead to and expand from. And the whole scene, everything about that scene was something that I thought was so important and we were so careful with.

I mean, I think from there, it was the delight. It’s all the delightful little moments between them. And the infirmary early on when she walks in and has no idea that she should walk out, when they’re trying on clothing and she walks out holding the sword, they’re just marching down the stairs. It’s like, what, why would I not need my sword, or down the dress – all of those little choices that were there for Wonder Woman to make were all my favorite things.

Blogger: It was really funny.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Good.

Ms. Gal Gadot: Good, good.

Blogger: Really funny.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Good. We tried hard. That’s great.

Blogger: Hi. I was really impressed with your physicality, and I wanted to know, did you do a lot of your stunts, or how much did you do and how much didn’t you do?

Ms. Gal Gadot: I was tired at times, right, and I told Patty, we cannot do that, I won’t do that, no, it’s from the back, and then Patty would go, I know, I know, but it looks different, the intention is different. Even though it’s from the back, your intention is different than the stunt girl. So, I did most of it, but the crazy dangerous things that might actually break my back I didn’t do. But, it was a lot of fun.

There’s something amazing, people keep on asking me how do you think about being typecast as Wonder Woman, and that’s all you’re going to do, action films. And I’m owning it. I really enjoy doing these movies, and I think that once you have a heart and you have a story to tell, it doesn’t matter if you have action or not, you tell the story.

And portraying such a strong character and being able to move like a badass, strong, powerful woman is amazing. It’s great.

Blogger: Thank you, thank you.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Thank you.

Blogger: Just elaborating on that some more, what was it like getting into the mindset of Wonder Woman? Did you read any of the comics? Did you do any research, like watch any of the Lynda Carter episodes?

Ms. Gal Gadot: When I was first cast, DC had sent me two big boxes filled with comic books, and honestly, I wasn’t too much into comics growing up, but I got the part, and I’m a nerd when it comes to my profession, so I read a lot.

But, at the end of the day, there’s so many different versions of Wonder Woman throughout the comic books. And for us, it was really important to understand the essence of Diana. And once we did, we just went back to the script, and I played the character.

But, for me, she’s a loving, warm, full of compassion, good, witty. She’s curious, and she believes in herself, you know? So, once I figured that out, it was very easy for me to do whatever was written in the script.

Blogger: I want to say I love this movie, not only because of the fact that it empowers girls, it empowers women, because it made me feel like I can conquer the world, and I love the fact that not only are you stunningly absolutely gorgeous–.

Ms. Gal Gadot: –So are you. Thank you–.

Blogger: –But, your mind frame, Wonder Woman, Diana’s mind frame was always positive.

No matter what was thrown at her, it was what are you talking about, this is the way the world is. And I appreciate that because it makes us stop, and it’ll make the kids stop to think, you know what, it’s your mind frame. If you have your mind in a positive tone–.

Ms. Gal Gadot: –That’s so true–.

Blogger: –Positive things will come out, because it’s easy to take negative and roll with the negative.

But, it’s a lot better to do positive because more will come out of it. So, I want to say thank you for portraying that on the big screen.

Ms. Gal Gadot: It’s a lot with this woman here.

Blogger: Yes, it was amazing.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Yes, both.

Ms. Gal Gadot: That it was very important for Patty that we’re not being sarcastic, or we’re leaving cynicism aside, and we’re assuming the best. And once you do that, you’re always positive. And I totally agree with you, and it really moved me to know that people understand what we’ve been trying to capture, it means the world.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Yes. Look, I have goose bumps.

Blogger: I loved, yes, everything about it, I loved it. It’s so important, especially in this day and age to think positive.

Ms. Gal Gadot: Exactly.

Blogger: So, I loved that. I loved how you guys portrayed that, so thank you.

Ms. Gal Gadot: Thank you.

Ms. Patty Jenkins: Yes, thank you.

So be sure to grab your daughter’s, girlfriends, sisters and mom – this is a movie you’ll want to see with all the awesome women in your life! It is truly empowering and uplifting and one of my all-time favorite superhero movies – ever!

At the press junket we were able to see some of the props and costumes used in Wonder Woman. Here are some of our favorites: