The Wonder Woman of the 21st century is the first Israeli actress to receive the honor.
By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News
Gal Gadot, Israel’s first megastar in Hollywood, will receive a different kind of star in 2024 with her name etched in Los Angeles’ best-known sidewalk, known as the Walk of Fame.
The actress, who shot to worldwide fame as Wonder Woman in 2016, found out about the honor from her husband, who informed her that he was receiving congratulatory messages from the Israeli press.
“He called to ask about it and I had absolutely no idea what was going on,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “So we called my publicist and apparently I’m receiving a Hollywood star. This is unbelievable. I am so so grateful and thankful and humbled. Thank you so much to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for choosing me.”
“This brings so much more fuel to the fuel I already have and to continue what I love so much doing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she added with a huge smile.
Gadot is the first Israeli actress to receive the honor. Haim Saban, an Israeli-American billionaire media proprietor and producer, was awarded the famed gold star for his achievements in television in 2017.
President Isaac Herzog tweeted his congratulations, saying, “You were always a star @GalGadot.”
The actress, who has played in several movies since her superhero persona hit the screen, has since branched out into producing films as well, through the Pilot Wave production company she co-owns with her husband, Yaron Varsano.
“The fact that I can go ahead and tell the stories that I’m passionate about – from ideas that I conceived, or from ideas that I find fascinating from people that want to partner with us – it’s an incredible thing,” she told Ynet in an interview earlier this month.
Forbes ranked Gadot in 2020 as the third highest-paid actress in the world, with annual earnings of $31.5 million.
In the 31-member strong “class” of 2024, Gadot will join such motion-picture luminaries as the late Chadwick Boseman, who also played a superhero (the Black Panther) in megahits, and her Wonder Woman co-star, Chris Pine. Another barrier breaker will be joining her as well, Michelle Yeoh, this year’s Best Actress Oscar winner, who became the first Asian and second woman of color to receive the prestigious award.
The Walk of Fame also salutes professionals from the television, radio, recording and sports entertainment worlds. Gadot and her group will bring the number of gold stars and names etched on the 1.3 miles of sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard to 2,820.