How Princess Diana Impacted 'Wonder Woman,' According to Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot brought Diana, Princess-of-the-Amazons-turned-Wonder-Woman, to life in the 2017 film Wonder Woman, and according to the actress, her take on the iconic character was actually inspired by another famous princess named Diana. During a virtual interview with Vanity Fair, Gadot shared that she and Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins were watching a documentary about the late Princess Diana when a specific phrase stuck out.

"There was a part where they say that she was full of compassion and she always cared for the people," Gadot recalled. "And that was like, 'Ding, ding, ding, ding. That should be the Wonder Woman that we have.'" The 35-year-old added that she wanted to make sure her Wonder Woman, real name Diana Prince, was relatable to viewers. "How can you connect to a goddess that's super strong and has it all and [is] super perfect?" she said. "I wanted to show her vulnerabilities and heart."

She also opined that the world could have benefited from her fictional heroine over the past 12 months. "I do think, especially after the year that we just had, we could've used her in real life," she said.

Gadot previously discussed how the late Princess of Wales inspired the role at San Diego Comic-Con in 2017. "Wonder Woman has the strength of a goddess and the heart of a human," she told the crowd, via The Daily Beast, adding that she and Jenkins had watched a documentary Princess Diana. "She said she leads from her heart and not from her head. And I think the same is true of our Diana."

The Israeli actress most recently played Diana Prince in 2020's Wonder Woman 1984, which was also directed by Jenkins. The two will team up again for a third Wonder Woman installment, an announcement confirmed by Warner Bros. chief Toby Emmerich shortly after the release of Wonder Woman 1984, which premiered in theaters and on HBO Max on Christmas Day.

"As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of Wonder Woman 1984, we are excited to be able to continue her story with our real-life Wonder Women — Gal and Patty — who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy," Emmerich said, via Variety. Wonder Woman 3 will have a traditional theatrical release.