For longtime ‘Wonder Woman’ fans, there was ONE choice to play her mother, Queen Hippolyta in the upcoming live action movie, the beloved star of the 70s hit series, Lynda Carter. Carter created the “Wonder spin” transformation sequence and brought a warmth and compassion– in addition to the ass-kicking– to the role that resonated with viewers.
Instead, the talented Connie Nielsen is portraying Hippolyta and ba saying:
“I’m glad to see that a woman, Patty Jenkins, is going to direct. I was talking to Patty about maybe playing Wonder Woman’s mother, but because of my singing career and the upcoming tour dates, it didn’t come together. But I wish both she and Gal the very, very best!”
Indeed, Carter who has always been a singer in addition to an actor has doubled down on her musical career and is currently touring. In 2015, she contributed original songs to the soundtrack to the video game ‘Fallout 4’, for which she also provided the voice of the character Magnolia. She has sporadically continued acting, usually in roles that recall her ‘Wonder Woman’ role, in ‘Two and a Half Men’ and ‘Smallville’ as well as in the Disney feature film ‘Sky High’ in which she played Principal Powers, the head of a school for future superheroes in which she uttered the phrase, “I’m not Wonder Woman, ya know!”
Looking back, Carter says back in the day she had to battle producers on some issues, including her take on Wonder Woman’s alter ego Diana Prince:
“The dumbing-down that the producers wanted me to do of Diana Prince, Wonder Woman’s alter ego. I mean, she’s still Wonder Woman! I look back now and think, God, I was so hard on myself about every five pounds—but I looked good.”
YES! She certainly did! Carter’s Wonder Woman is still an iconic pinup figure today.
But looks aren’t everything and Carter’s Wonder Woman brought much more to the table and this is something she hopes the new generation of female heroes can instill in girls of today:
“It’s time for a new generation to have a smart and powerful woman be part of their experience—and the reemergence of characters like Supergirl and Wonder Woman means that time has come.
“[It’s about] Embracing your goddess within—and not making yourself smaller so that other people can handle you.”
If you want to see Carter in concert, you can check out her upcoming dates here. For a review of one of her recent shows, click here.
Does Carter’s endorsement make you more receptive to Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s take?
‘Wonder Woman’ directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Ewen Bremner, Saïd Taghmaoui, Elena Anaya, and Lucy Davis will be released on June 23, 2017.
Source: Glamour
