Gal Gadot was presented with the #SeeHer Award at Critics’ Choice last night. In, like, 2 years or whatever, when hashtags aren’t used anymore, how are they going to feel about naming an award and styling it like this with a hashtag? In 25 years, will that look stupid on a trophy? Or is this an old person’s question?
Anyway. Gal Gadot. Wonder Woman. Which also won the Best Action Movie award. So this was what her speech was about. About all the ways in which Wonder Woman is real. And why Wonder Woman is a role model. And what we can learn from her. She also noted that so much work still has to be done. That women are not equally represented, that stories are not being told, that the push should not be over. It was a good speech and she delivered it with so much feeling, I can’t find any room for cynicism and, frankly, I don’t know if I want to see the sh-tholes in it, if there are any. Especially not when, later, as Patty Jenkins was accepting on behalf of the Wonder Woman team and the music started trying to play her off, Gal was standing there, being Wonder Woman, and basically bodyguarding Patty so that she could keep talking and finish her acknowledgments. Seriously, watch her. When Wonder Woman says that Patty should keep going, why would anyone want to tell her no?
That was the moment I fell in love with Gal Gadot.
You know who else is in love with Gal Gadot? The camera. During her acceptance speech, they zoomed in tight, tighter than they zoomed on anyone else last night. It was the only time they came in that far. And I get it. Because I was leaning closer toward my TV too. She glows. You cannot take your eyes off her. You don’t want to take your eyes off her. She is magnetic.
But …can I make one small quibble? It’s Gadot – not an “oh” at the end but think of the word “dote”. I dote on my dog. Ga-dote. She told Caity Weaver in GQ that 60% of people get it wrong. Even Patty Jenkins!
