NEW YORK ā Gal Gadot is using her Hollywood starpower to spotlight remarkable women from around the world.
The āWonder Womanā actor is host and executive producer of a new documentary series that follows six women who made a positive impact on their communities despite dealing with poverty, violence, discrimination and natural disasters.
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The 35-year-old says āNational Geographic Presents IMPACT with Gal Gadotā grew from her quest to ādo something good with my fame and my social mediaā after the success of 2017ā²s āWonder Woman.ā
She and her husband Yaron Varsano, who is also an executive producer on the series, watched a short documentary from music video director Ryan Pallotta about a dancer from the favelas in Brazil.
āWe completely fell in love with the story, and we decided that weāre going to build a concept around the story,ā Gadot said.
The first episode follows a young Black figure skating coach in Detroit who has dedicated her life to coaching young girls of color to empower them.
āSheās not only sheās empowering them, but sheās giving them a skill ā¦ that is familiar or familiar with white people doing it, which is ice skating,ā Gadot said.
Another episode tells the story of Kayla, who helps create a safe community for homeless transgender women of color in Memphis, Tennessee, by building homes.
The series debuts April 26, a day after the Academy Awards. Gadot said sheās encouraged by the inclusion at this yearās ceremony: āNomadlandā director ChloĆ© Zhao and āPromising Young Womanā director Emerald Fennell became only the sixth and seventh women ever to be nominated for best director.
āWomen that are used to be only in front of the camera are now going to the other side of the camera and developing stories that theyāre passionate about and that they care about and that now itās becoming a norm, almost. You know, you see it with the Oscars,ā she said.
āThereās a great change. But at the same time, I got to say that the change can only happen when we include the men. Itās never like you can just empower the women and not educate the men.ā
She said thatās what her DC cinematic universe superhero was able to accomplish for a new generation.
āThe girls can go and be inspired by the girl and imagine themselves doing these amazing things as girls. But also, it gives them a role model for boys to admire as well and to understand that women can be strong and great and just like men,ā she said. āSo, for me, itās educating both women and men in order to reach this place that we always talk about gender and equality and all of that. We have to do this together.ā