You might know her now as Wonder Woman, an Amazonian and the wife of one seriously supportive husband, but before all of that, she was Gal Gadot, Miss Universe 2004 competitor.
Let’s get this out of the way first: Although she won hearts and endless admiration on the big screen, Gadot — who got to the international pageant by winning Miss Israel 2004 — did not, in fact, win Miss Universe 2004. That honor went to Miss Australia 2004, Jennifer Hawkins. (The runner-up was Miss USA 2004, Shandi Finnessey.) Though Gadot has sparked countless articles about her appearance — ranging from her bold, makeup-free Instagram posts to her thigh jiggle on the silver screen — she didn’t even crack the top ten of the international competition, which was held in Quito, Ecuador.
Miss Universe only ranks the top 15 contestants, with one additional award handed to the contestant voted “Miss Congeniality,” none of which went to Gal Gadot. She was only 18 when she swept the Miss Israel 2004 competition and took to the international stage. She might not have won a crown at the crowded Miss Universe 2004 pageant, but that certainly didn’t slow down her modeling career, which featured international campaigns for well-known brands like Miss Sixty, Captain Morgan rum and Gucci perfume.
Her modeling career was sidelined for two years for her service in the Israeli army, but the break certainly didn’t hold her back. In 2007, she was back in international media in a Maxim feature entitled “Women of the Israeli Army,” which projected her onto the cover of the New York Post.
Take a peek at her run at the Miss Universe 2004 title in the photo gallery above. It might take you a second to recognize the wonderous woman you love from the big screen — remember, she was just 18 when she was competing — but you’ll soon pick out that distinctive smile and striking face.
