by The Goddess and The Rebel: Gal Gadot and Margot Robbie’s Unexpected Parallels
At first glance, Gal Gadot and Margot Robbie seem to inhabit completely different cinematic worlds. Gadot rocketed to A-list fame as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, the righteous Amazonian goddess in the DC Extended Universe. Meanwhile, Robbie makes waves as Harley Quinn, the gleefully unhinged anti-heroine in various DC properties.
But when you look closer at their backgrounds and career trajectories, the two actresses share many similarities that reveal their kindred spirit. Here are five key common threads that weave Gadot and Robbie’s lives together in unexpected ways:
Military Lineage Grounds Their Strength
Both hail from families with military backgrounds. Gadot served for two years as a combat trainer in the Israel Defense Forces, following her older siblings who enlisted as well. Her time in the IDF no doubt prepared her for the intense physical demands of the Wonder Woman role.
Likewise, Robbie grew up listening to her grandfather’s tales from his time in the Australian Army. In interviews, she’s cited his military service as a source of inspiration for the discipline and determination evident throughout her eclectic career. This lineage seems to ground both actresses with the inner fortitude to succeed in such a tough industry.
Scene-Stealing Comic Chops Defy Dramatic Typecasting
Today, Gadot and Robbie are best known as badass action stars in glossy comic book movies. But they’ve both proven their versatility by stealing some of their biggest scenes in comedies.
Long before Wonder Woman, Gadot impressed Hollywood heavyweights with her comedic turn in Date Night and Keeping Up with the Joneses. And she hilariously skewered her superheroic image hosting Saturday Night Live in 2017.
Likewise, Robbie first popped in The Wolf of Wall Street, delivering a stunning comedic performance amidst veterans like Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill. She continues to showcase these deft comedic chops in her Harley Quinn portrayal, grounding the character’s zaniness with genuine humor and heart.
Their shared talent for comedy may be these dramatic actresses’ most surprising common trait.
Entrepreneurial Drive Carves Their Own Paths
Neither Gadot nor Robbie waited around for Hollywood to hand them opportunities. Instead, they’ve parlayed their acting success into entrepreneurial ventures giving them more creative control.
In 2018, Gadot co-founded Pilot Wave, a production company focused on complex female film and TV characters. Through this company, she’s producing and starring in the espionage thriller Heart of Stone for Netflix.
Likewise, Robbie founded the production company LuckyChap Entertainment in 2014 alongside friends and business partners. LuckyChap has produced several Robbie vehicles like I, Tonya and Birds of Prey, as well as the Oscar-nominated Promising Young Woman.
Their drive to amplify their influence behind the scenes suggests these actresses share the entrepreneurial spirit necessary to survive Hollywood.
Activist Voices Champion Positive Social Change
With great fame comes great responsibility – a motto Gadot and Robbie take seriously by lending their voices to various social causes.
As Wonder Woman, Gadot embraces the character’s feminist legacy by advocating for women’s rights and equality. She’s spoken at the 2018 Women in the World Summit and publicly supports the Time’s Up movement against workplace sexual misconduct.
Robbie frequently collaborates with organizations supporting mental health, even auctioning off Harley Quinn paraphernalia for charity. And she says her production company prioritizes working with female filmmakers to promote gender parity behind the camera.
Their high-profile activism spotlights their shared values of empowerment and equality.
Hidden Talents Hint at Well-Rounded Renaissance Women
Gadot and Robbie boast talents beyond acting that make them true Renaissance women. Gadot actually aspired to become a professional dancer, spending several years training with the Israeli ballet. You can glimpse this graceful athleticism in Wonder Woman’s fluid fight choreography.
For her part, Robbie grew up surfing and skateboarding on Australia’s Gold Coast before heading to Hollywood. She puts these skills to good use in Suicide Squad, effortlessly cruising as Harley on a baseball bat like it’s a skateboard.
Somehow, their early athletic pursuits prepared each for their current physically demanding superhero roles. This may be the most direct link between the goddess-like Gadot and punk rock Robbie.
The Final Verdict: Kindred Spirits
Despite surface differences between elegant Amazon warrior and eccentric anti-heroine, Gal Gadot and Margot Robbie share plenty of core connections. Their military lineage, comedy chops, business savvy, social activism, and athleticism reveal surprisingly similar spirits behind their contrasting on-screen personas.
So while Diana Prince and Harley Quinn may spar if they ever crossed cinematic universes, their real-life counterparts just might become fast friends. Gadot and Robbie exemplify how easy it is to underestimate multi-dimensional women, whether on the silver screen or behind the scenes.
