BARELY had Gal Gadot finished filming Wonder Woman when Israeli actress started working on Justice League. She may have found it easy to slip back into character, but she was nevertheless unprepared for the joy of seeing the League come together. (Now in Philippine cinemas, Justice League is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.)
“Wearing my costume felt like the most normal thing because I had been doing it for six months before,” Gadot says. “But seeing everyone else wearing their own costumes was wonderful. I remember the first three days, I kept looking at all the guys and me in costume, and I just kept laughing because it felt so surreal. So many superheroes, standing together. It was really great to be shooting this movie.”
From Warner Bros. Pictures comes the first-ever Justice League big-screen epic action adventure, directed by Zack Snyder and starring as the famed lineup of DC Super Heroes: Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg.
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But, despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.
The film also brings back Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta and Joe Morton as Silas Stone, and expands the universe by introducing J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf and Amber Heard as Mera.
What was it like reuniting with director Zack Snyder to make Justice League after working with him to bring Wonder Woman to the big screen for the first time in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice?
Well, Zack is a dear, dear friend, and I have a lot of love and respect for him. He was the first one to really believe in me and give me this huge opportunity. I had actually been thinking about quitting acting and, at the very last moment, right before I was about to throw in the towel, Zack cast me as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman. And I will never forget it. I think he’s a fantastic director, and really enjoyed working with him on both projects.
What are the stakes involved in Justice League? What motivates Diana to want to join forces with Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) in assembling this team of superheroes?
Diana realizes that the end of the world is coming, and she knows that the only way to protect it is by doing what was done before—the last time the planet faced this type of threat—and that is to have everyone fight together as one. She understands that the only way to save the world is by recruiting this team of superheroes and getting them to fight together as one.
What is the dynamic like between Wonder Woman and Batman, now that they’ve fought together in battle?
Both of them understand the stakes are really high, and both of them want to save the day. They have some disagreements along the way, but, eventually, they find a way to collaborate and work together in the best way possible.
All five of these heroes have epic special abilities, but Wonder Woman stands alone in many ways. What do you think she brings to the League?
I think that she brings the heart. She really cares for everyone in general, and definitely cares for each member of the League. In the beginning, she does worry that they’re recruiting people who have no real experience, and asking them to risk their lives in order to save the world—something that’s highly dangerous—which none of them has ever even attempted before.
Diana, in a way, is the glue that holds the League together. She’s tries to find ways to help each of these people, at different times, to feel stronger, capable, loved and ultimately to believe in themselves.
When you were making the movie, do you recall any moments during production that were particularly fun or memorable for you?
I think that the most memorable moment for me was the first time we all stepped onto the set in our costumes—I was laughing all the time because it was just so surreal (laughs).
We would be shooting these very intense scenes, and I would get a glimpse of someone in their costume and just begin laughing.
And did you have a favorite costume of the bunch?
Oh, mine, for sure (laughs)! By far.
It is true that you were actually expecting your second child at some point during the Justice League production?
Yes. I got pregnant while we were shooting Justice League. It’s very intense to shoot a movie as it is, so then I was also experiencing morning sickness and migraines and stuff like that. But, honestly, the whole thing was great.
You really are Wonder Woman. Speaking of which, did you have any sense when you were working with director Patty Jenkins on the Wonder Woman movie that it would become this amazing cultural phenomenon?
I definitely felt that we were doing something special, and having the captain of the ship be Patty Jenkins made everything much more magical. The experience was very, very unique. Everyone was inclusive, which created this amazing atmosphere while we were shooting—because it wasn’t an easy project, physically.
We were working six days a week, every week for six months, and it was very demanding work. We were all so invested in making this movie the absolute best it could be, and, when everyone cares so much for a project, and is so thoughtful about the characters and the story, I think it always shows. I never imagined Wonder Woman would reach the huge success it has reached.
But while we were shooting the movie, I definitely felt that we were doing something special, and after seeing one of the first cuts, I was just incredibly proud to be part of Wonder Woman.
What do you hope audiences experience when they see Justice League in the cinema?
I just hope they will enjoy the movie, but I also hope they enjoy the dynamic of the League working together. It’s just a wonderful group of actors, and they all bring their own unique qualities to their characters. So, I hope the audience feels like they’re part of the team, and will come along for the ride.