Wonder Woman is arguably one of pop culture's biggest icons, with dynamic performances from a number of women who have taken up the mantle in live-action. The Amazonian warrior princess is known for her passion for fighting evil through the means of love, truth, and wonder. However, her characterization has been portrayed in different ways over the decades on screens big and small, and by a number of different Wonder Woman actresses.

Wonder Woman first appeared in All-Star Comics #8, published in 1941. She was created by William Moulton Marston, who credited his wife for inspiring her appearance, and their life partner, for inspiring her feminism. Just three months after her debut, Wonder Woman was given her very first feature in Sensation Comics #1. Following in the footsteps of Batman and Superman, Wonder Woman received her first live-action adaptation three decades after her initial introduction. Currently, it's unclear who will be the next Wonder Woman actress in the upcoming reboot of the DC Universe. Here is every Wonder Woman actress across decades of TV and film.

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Cathy Lee Crosby

Cathy Lee Crosby was the first live-action Wonder Woman actress in the 1974 made-for-television film Wonder Woman, directed by Vincent McEveety. The film was intended to be a pilot for a future series, however, due to the inaccurate depiction of Wonder Woman, it was not received well, and no series resulted. Crosby acted more like a spy than a superhero and there was no clear evidence of her having any kind of superpower. Her blond hair and uniform did not even resemble the comic-book likeness of Diana Prince.

Lynda Carter

Wonder Woman holds her cape up and poses for a photo

One year after the failure of the 1974 TV movie, Lynda Carter debuted as Wonder Woman in the television series, Wonder Woman, which was directed by Leanord Horn. This time, the character closely resembled her comic-book counterpart and the plot of the pilot took place during World War II, staying true to the same era that the original comic book was set in. Lynda Carter's Wonder Womn was a big success and the show aired for three seasons, ending in 1979. Carter returned to the Wonder Woman franchise in 2020 when she played the role of Asteria, Themyscira's greatest warrior. Asteria donned the iconic golden armor that Diana later utilized in 1984.

Adrianne Palicki

In 2011, Warner Bros produced an unaired television pilot called Wonder Woman. In this version it's Adrianne Palicki who plays Wonder Woman and the plot followed the character Diana Themyscira, CEO of Themyscira Industries, a corporation that owned and operated the entire concept of Wonder Woman. Interestingly, Pedro Pascal, who played the lead villain, Maxwell Lord, in Wonder Woman 1984, also starred alongside Palicki in the pilot episode, playing Boston police inspector Ed Indelicato, who was a good friend and ally of Wonder Woman. Diana found herself struggling to balance being Diana Themyscira and Wonder Woman, so she created a third identity for herself, being the more notable Diana Prince.

Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot was the first and only Wonder Woman actress to debut the character on the silver screen. Gadot was cast in 2013 by director Zack Snyder to play Wonder Woman in the 2016 movie, Batman vs. Superman. In the summer of 2017, Gadot reprised her role as the titular character in Wonder Woman, and then again in 2020, for the sequel, Wonder Woman 1984. After Wonder Woman 1984, director Patty Jenkins revealed that she had plans to create the third installment of the franchise, which would make Gal Gadot the first female actor to portray a superhero in her very own trilogy. However, the third movie languished in development hell, and was eventually canceled as part of the decision to end the Zack Snyder-created DC Extended Universe in favor of a rebooted franchise developed by James Gunn and Peter Safran.

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In addition to Gadot, Lily Aspell played a young Diana Prince in Patty Jenkins' 2017 movie Wonder Woman. She then reprised the role in Wonder Woman 1984. Emily Carey played a slightly older version of Diana in the 2017 adaptation, but unlike Aspell, was not involved in the sequel.

Gunn Hasn't Confirmed He's Recasting Gal Gadot

Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Zack Snyder's Justice League 2

With Gunn's upcoming reboot removing Henry Cavill as Superman, many fans assumed that Gal Gadot would similarly not return as Wonder Woman, and many of Gadot's social media posts came off as her saying goodbye to the character. However, James Gunn disputed (via EW) that he had "booted" Gadot from the franchise, suggesting that she could potentially continue in the role. This could be through a multiverse storyline or simply casting her as the same character in a different continuity.

The new DC Universe is slated to begin with a Superman movie, and if successful it will likely expand enough to require a new Wonder Woman. It is still very likely that this character would be played by a new, yet-to-be-cast Wonder Woman actress, to create separation from the DCEU and Gadot's sometimes divisive performance. However, in the world of superheroes, no return is ever fully impossible, including Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman.

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