Gal Gadot Celebrates 12 Years as Wonder Woman by Sharing Her BATMAN V SUPERMAN Screen Test
It’s been twelve years since Gal Gadot stepped into the boots of Wonder Woman, and to mark the milestone she treated fans to something pretty cool. The actress posted her original screen test from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, shot with Ben Affleck, giving everyone a rare look at the moment she first embodied Diana Prince.
When Gadot was announced as Wonder Woman back in 2013, reactions were mixed. Many fans weren’t entirely convinced she was the right fit, but her debut in Batman v Superman quickly turned that around.
She became a standout and soon led her own feature, Wonder Woman, directed by Patty Jenkins. That film’s critical success launched her into global recognition and made her one of the defining faces of the DCEU.
The high points didn’t last forever, though. Justice League and Wonder Woman 1984 were met with harsh reviews, signaling a decline for both the franchise and the character’s on screen momentum.
Despite brief appearances in Shazam Fury of the Gods and The Flash, enthusiasm for her version of Wonder Woman faded. With her run now complete, Gadot decided to share something meaningful from the beginning of that journey. Her Instagram post included the full screen test with Affleck and came with a reflection sent to her by director Zack Snyder.
“Twelve years ago today, I was cast as Wonder Woman. What a wild, life-changing ride with a character I love so much. I thought it would be fun to share my camera test with Ben [Affleck] I watched it last night for the first time. [Zack Snyder] thank you for sharing this with me, and for casting me as Diana Prince.”
Gadot’s path to playing the Amazon warrior was not simple. In a previous interview, she described an audition process shrouded in secrecy.
Warner Bros wanted her to audition but refused to say what the role was. Even when she did her screen test with Affleck, she had no clue she was reading for Wonder Woman.
“It all began when Warner [Bros.] wanted me to audition for something, but they wouldn't tell me what. So I went along, and Zack was there. That went great, and two weeks later, they asked me to do a camera test with Ben [Affleck]. I said, 'Great! What's the role' My agent couldn't tell me, but she said to expect a phone call from Zack [Snyder].”
That call finally came from Snyder himself, confirming she was in contention for the iconic hero. What followed were seven long weeks of silence that left her convinced she didn’t get the part.
“He called me later that night, and he said, 'I'm not sure if you have it in Israel, but did you ever hear about Wonder Woman' I think I literally died for a few seconds and then came back to life, and I tried to pull off my best voice saying, 'Wonder Woman Yeah, of course I've heard of Wonder Woman.'
“Then I did the camera test with Ben, which was great. Then I waited seven weeks, and I went through the seven stages of grief I got angry... it was terrible But finally, seven weeks later, they called to tell me that I had the part, and that was it.”
Snyder later explained that while the search for Wonder Woman was extensive, Gadot stood out immediately. Hundreds of actresses were considered, but her blend of strength and warmth made her undeniable.
“We tested a bunch of actresses, as you can imagine. I can't even remember how many actresses we saw in terms of interviews, but for the final test, we tested six actresses. We interviewed and saw hundreds, so it was a pretty exhausting process.
“But the thing with Gal is that she's strong, she's beautiful, and she's a kind person, which is interesting, but fierce at the same time. It's that combination of being fierce but kind at the same time that we were looking for.”
Another major factor was how effortlessly she matched Affleck’s presence during the screen test. It impressed Snyder and even caught Affleck’s attention.
“She can get serious, but she's amazingly fun to be around. And by the way, she really held her own with Ben [Affleck] in the screen test. Ben was like, 'Whoa, that girl is something else'.
“That was a good sign, because Ben is very tough in the scene, and he's big and commanding. Anytime that you're doing a test like that, and you're looking at the other person, you're thinking, 'Okay, that's good stuff.' That was part of the process, and over time, as we got to know Gal, we found out how amazing she is.”
Twelve years later, Gadot’s time as Diana Prince may be behind her, but sharing this early footage gives fans a reminder of how her era as Wonder Woman began.