Athletic Women Blog

Well, the Wonder Woman rumors are flying fast already, however, it is starting to look like Jessica Biel is in talks to take on the role (see also here).

Keep in mind that nothing official has been announced, so we don't have the final word yet. But if it's true, they've made a good, solid choice—probably the obvious one, just like I said yesterday. Sure, Jessica could look more like the classic Wonder Woman image and she could be taller (though almost 5'8" isn't "short"), but she can absolutely bring the muscle, i.e., the physical presence that this role needs. It will take a very athletic actress to portray Wonder Woman properly. Jessica Biel fulfills that requirement, better than most too.

I still hope they'll look at some of the other good options out there, but Jessica is a great pick, one capable of giving us a muscular, formidable-looking female superhero who can clearly hold her own with the superguys. That will indeed be a treat!

That's right, it looks like Wonder Woman is finally going to make it to the big screen! It's long overdue, but welcome news nonetheless. (How many Batman, Superman, and Spiderman movies have there been? It's an outrage that they are only now getting around to Wonder Woman!)

She won't have her own feature film (not yet), but Justice League of America, which will include her, now has a director and appears to be on the fast track to production. I imagine that if it does well and people take to the new Wonder Woman a solo film will follow shortly.

So now that the search is full on (or soon will be), it's a good time for me to post my list of choice picks to play Princess Diana. We've talked before about how female superheroes should be portrayed in comics (but often aren't), and those same general rules apply when the presentation is moved to the movie screen; and we definitely don't want a Wonder Woman in this movie who is seen merely as a lightweight sidekick to the male superheroes. Thus I've tried to take that into consideration when making my selections here.

First the easy picks:

Jessica Biel — This one seems obvious enough. I doubt anyone would say that Jessica Biel isn't buff and athletic; indeed, that's what she is most famous for. Here we have a credible young actress who could easily bring the physicality that the role calls for. I can only think of one caveat: Besides her build, she doesn't match the iconic image very well; but they can do a lot with just hair and makeup, so that probably isn't a big issue.

Missy Peregrym — She wants the role and they would be foolish not to consider her. Another athletic young actress, Missy isn't too far off from the classic Wonder Woman look—an added bonus.

Either one of those two would do fine, and I suspect both have a decent shot at the role. Frankly, most of the other suggestions I've seen on gossip and fan sites are pedestrian, if not downright awful. But there are a few more that look interesting and have potential:

Stacy Keibler — Stacy is about as "Amazonian" as you can get; there's no question she would make an impressive Wonder Woman. I'm not sure about the look, but again, hair and makeup might do the trick.

Jodi Lyn O'Keefe — She sure fits the mold: raven hair, blue eyes, 5'10"... might be a winner.

Jill Wagner — Jill was superb in the action sequences on Blade: The Series, and she doesn't seem to have trouble packing on muscle in the gym (though she would have to take it up a notch for this role).

Now my unconventional pick:

Gina Carano — No, she doesn't have acting experience, unless you count reality TV. But Gina Carano is Wonder Woman. She doesn't need a substantial amount of acting experience, because this role doesn't stray far from who she already is: a fierce warrior-athlete with grace, poise, and a firm sense of purpose. (Take a look at this if you're not already familiar with Gina.) Would she be interested? Someone will have to ask her, but I hope so.

Casting a genuinely athletic woman—especially an accomplished athlete like Gina—as Wonder Woman would not only make the movie better, it would make a strong statement about women as physically capable beings; certainly it would mean a great deal to young girls, inspiring them to develop their own physical potential. Let's not forget that this character is an important symbol. That should be given careful consideration when deciding who will be the new Wonder Woman.

Well, there they are: my picks for Wonder Woman. I'll try to update with casting news as I learn of it. We may know something soon.

Aneta Florczyk, three-time "World's Strongest Woman," shows us just how intimidating a woman can be with a frying pan:



Pretty impressive, huh? I made the observation earlier that women athletes—and women more generally—are gaining strength at a rapid rate; seeing Aneta in action, it would be hard to think otherwise. (The clips here may not be the most scientific way to make that point, but they are perhaps the most vivid.)

And just to end this little post with an exclamation mark, here is Aneta pressing—without much effort, as you'll see—a 187 lb (85 kg) man over her head:

Gina Carano (also here) defeated Tonya Evinger last night in a bout that was part of EliteXC's "Uprising" promotion. The fight was televised on Showtime.

Gina went into the fight the favorite, so the win itself wasn't a huge surprise. However, the way it came about might be another matter. Gina won by submission (her first win that way) against an opponent known for her grappling skills. While Gina is highly regarded as a striker, thanks to her background in Muay Thai, she doesn't have much wrestling experience. Gina handled herself well, though, after being taken down early on and even turned it to her advantage, using a choke hold to force Tonya to tap out at 2:53 of the first round.

The more I see of Gina the more impressed I am by her. She is the quintessence of the modern female athlete and an admirable role model for girls and young women. I even think she'd make a great Wonder Woman! It would be cool to have a real woman warrior-athlete playing the ultimate Amazon on the big screen—one can only imagine how thrilling that would be for young girls—and I actually think Gina could pull it off. (And yes, I realize Gina is not a trained actress; but I'll explain why she still merits serious consideration later when I post who my favorite Wonder Woman candidates are and why—which I promise to do soon.)

If you'd like to learn more about Gina, "Meet Gina Carano" will give you a feel for what makes her so special.

I suspect that at least a few readers will find this relevant, so here is a complete breakdown of audition dates and locations for American Gladiators (culled from NBC's website):

Saturday, September 8th
9:00am – 5:00pm
Gold's Gym
360 Hampton Drive
Venice, CA

Saturday, September 15th
10:00am – 3:00pm
Paerdegat Athletic Club
Sports Field
1510 Paerdegat Ave. N
Brooklyn, NY 11236

Sunday, September 16th
9:00am – 5:00pm
Windy City Fieldhouse
2367 W. Logan Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60647

Saturday, September 22nd
10:00am – 3:00pm
The Ice Palace Film Studios
Stage 1
1400 North Miami Ave
Miami, Florida 33136

Saturday, September 22nd
10:00am – 6:00pm
Arlington Courts
2500 E. Mayfield Rd.
Arlington, TX 76014

They are auditioning contenders and gladiators. Since I'm sure times, dates, and locations are subject to change, you should check NBC's casting page for up-to-date information if you plan to audition; you can also download an application there.

That's right, NBC is reviving American Gladiators. You can read what Variety is reporting here, and if you feel you're up to the challenge, auditions are being held in Chicago on September 16th.

Like a lot of people, I have fond memories of the old show. It was fun, albeit campy fun. The best thing about American Gladiators, though, was how it unabashedly showed off physically powerful women. Each week viewers tuned in and saw well-muscled athletic women engaged in tests of strength, and they loved it. The show had a long, successful run while making a positive statement about what women are capable of in the physical arena. I hope the new version continues that tradition.