Five things to know about your new Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot

You might have heard a resounding cry of “who is that?” when it was announced Wednesday that 28-year-old Israeli-born actress Gal Gadot would be cast as Wonder Woman in the upcoming “Batman vs. Superman.”

In a statement, director Zack Snyder said, “Wonder Woman is arguably one of the most powerful female characters of all time and a fan favorite in the DC Universe. Not only is Gal an amazing actress, but she also has that magical quality that makes her perfect for the role. We look forward to audiences discovering Gal in the first feature film incarnation of this beloved character.”

Yet the actress is not a complete unknown. Here are five points of interest:

1) She has appeared in three “Fast & Furious” movies.

Playing the character Gisele Yashar, Gadot first appeared in 2009’s “Fast & Furious,” the fourth film in the franchise, and reappeared in “Fast Five” and “Fast & Furious 6.”

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Via Twitter and Facebook, she expressed grief over the recent passing of co-star Paul Walker, calling him “a great man with a big heart and passion.”

2) She was in the Israeli army.

Gadot spent two years in the Israeli army. Whether she picked up any fighting skills that will be put to use in her new role as Wonder Woman will remain to be seen. She was also in a controversial 2007 Maxim magazine photo shoot, “Women of the Israeli Army.” Image-search away.

3) She was Miss Israel.

At age 19, Gadot competed in the 2004 Miss Universe pageant as Miss Israel.

4) Sorry folks, she’s spoken for.

Anyone looking for a new fantasy girlfriend should know that Gadot has been married to businessman and hotel owner Yaron Varsano since 2008. The two have a young daughter together.

5) She’s excited to play Wonder Woman.

Gadot is very active on social media. On Wednesday she posted a message on Twitter linking to a Variety story on her Wonder Woman casting with the note “So exciting!!!”

Presumably if the character plays well in “Batman vs. Superman,” Gadot will be in line for a stand-alone spin-off.

ALSO:

Wonder Woman cast: Gal Gadot to star in ‘Batman-Superman’ film

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Twitter: @IndieFocus