Sophia Michaels
Adrianne Palicki’s Brief Stint as Wonder Woman
Years before the hugely successful portrayal of the character by Gal Gadot, executives at NBC thought the market wasn’t ready for superheroine stories. The initial pilot, featuring Cary Elwes, Elizabeth Hurley, and Pedro Pascal, ultimately never aired. Palicki expressed to Entertainment Weekly that it was heartbreaking not to see it reach audiences. “If it had premiered a year or two later, it might have thrived,” she reflected.
Despite this disappointment, Palicki recognized the silver lining of the experience. “Had it gone forward, my life would have revolved around intensive stunt work and being in every scene,” she admitted. “While it would have been an incredible opportunity, it might have taken a toll on me over time.” She felt privileged to don the iconic Wonder Woman outfit at least once and to have worked alongside her long-time idol, Elwes.
