Wonder Woman may be one of the most recognizable superheroes in the world, but Hollywood has been surprisingly selective about who gets to wear the armor.Batman has been recast again and again. Superman has moved through multiple generations of movie stars. Diana of Themyscira, on the other hand, has had far fewer major live-action incarnations.That doesn’t mean her screen history is simple, though. Before Lynda Carter‘s famous transformation spin, there was a blonde Wonder Woman who barely resembled the comic-book heroine. And before Gal Gadot finally brought Diana to movie theaters, another actress suited up for a television pilot that audiences never officially got to see.Some versions lasted minutes. Others defined the character for decades. Here’s every actress who has played Wonder Woman—and how Diana changed each time.Related: Every Actor Who Has Played Batman in a Live-Action Movie
How Many Actresses Have Played Wonder Woman?
If we’re counting actresses who actually performed as Diana Prince or Wonder Woman in filmed live-action productions, there have been six distinct portrayals:
Ellie Wood Walker Linda Harrison Cathy Lee Crosby Lynda Carter Adrianne Palicki Gal GadotThere’s an important caveat, though. Not all six appeared in released movies or television series. Walker and Harrison, for example, were part of a short 1967 test presentation that never became a series, while Palicki starred in an unaired NBC pilot in 2011.
The three actresses whose Wonder Woman projects actually reached a wide audience in completed television or theatrical releases are Cathy Lee Crosby, Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot.DC’s own history specifically identifies Crosby and Carter as the women who first brought Wonder Woman into major live-action television, while recognizing Gadot as the actress who finally took Diana to the big screen. Here is an in-depth look at each actress who has played Wonder Woman.Related: Every Actor Who Has Played the Joker in a Live-Action Movie
Ellie Wood Walker and Linda Harrison — Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? (1967)
Wonder Woman’s first live-action experiment was a strange one. In 1967, Batman producer William Dozier developed a short presentation titled Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? as a possible television project.
Ellie Wood Walker played Diana Prince, who was imagined less as a powerful Amazon warrior and more as an awkward young woman living with her mother. When Diana looked into a mirror, however, she imagined herself as a glamorous Wonder Woman played by Linda Harrison.
Yes, two actresses essentially shared one version of Diana.
The short never became a series, but DC’s own history acknowledges Walker as the first actress to portray Diana in live action before Cathy Lee Crosby and Lynda Carter followed.
It’s difficult to imagine this version becoming the definitive Wonder Woman. But as an early attempt to figure out how the character might work on television, it occupies a fascinating little corner of DC history.
Cathy Lee Crosby — Wonder Woman (1974)
The first Wonder Woman to headline a full-length production looked very different from the version most fans know.
Cathy Lee Crosby starred in ABC’s 1974 television movie Wonder Woman. The story follows Diana as she leaves Paradise Island on a mission for the United States Intelligence Agency, pitting her against Ricardo Montalban‘s villainous Abner Smith.
DC describes Crosby’s Diana as a much looser adaptation of the comics. She didn’t wear the famous red, white and blue costume, and the movie treated her more like an international secret agent than an Amazon superhero. Even her appearance broke with tradition. Crosby was blonde rather than dark-haired, and her costume consisted largely of a red-and-blue jumpsuit.
The movie also didn’t lead to an ongoing Crosby series. Instead, the concept was reworked, leading to a new version that became one of the most recognizable superhero portrayals in television history.
Lynda Carter — Wonder Woman (1975–1979)
For millions of viewers, Lynda Carter is Wonder Woman.
Carter debuted as Diana in The New Original Wonder Woman television movie on Nov. 7, 1975. The project was successful enough to lead to additional episodes and eventually a full television series.
Unlike the Crosby version, this Diana looked and behaved much more like the comic-book heroine. Carter wore the familiar red, white and blue costume, deflected bullets with her bracelets, wielded the golden lasso and flew an invisible plane.
The series initially placed Diana during World War II before shifting her into the contemporary 1970s when it moved from ABC to CBS. It also introduced the iconic “spin.”
Carter’s famous transformation—Diana turning rapidly before emerging in costume—became so closely associated with Wonder Woman that it eventually influenced later versions of the character.
DC has described Carter’s portrayal as a pop-culture phenomenon, praising the combination of strength, warmth and compassion she brought to Diana. Sadly, though, the series ended in 1979 after three seasons. It would be decades before anyone came close to replacing Carter as the public face of Wonder Woman.
Adrianne Palicki — Wonder Woman (2011)
In 2011, NBC tried to bring Wonder Woman back to television.
Adrianne Palicki, known for Friday Night Lights, was cast as Diana in a new pilot developed by David E. Kelley. The concept attempted to modernize Diana considerably.
This Wonder Woman wasn’t simply a superhero with a secret identity. She was also portrayed as a powerful corporate executive trying to balance several different sides of her life. Palicki even wore a modernized version of the familiar costume.
But audiences never got an official series. NBC passed on the pilot, and it was never commercially broadcast.
That makes Palicki’s Wonder Woman one of the strangest entries on the list: She genuinely filmed a full live-action performance as Diana, but her version effectively disappeared before viewers had a chance to decide what they thought of it.
Gal Gadot — Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman and More
After decades of television attempts, Wonder Woman finally reached the big screen in 2016.
Gal Gadot debuted as Diana in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, appearing alongside Henry Cavill‘s Superman and Ben Affleck‘s Batman. A year later, though, Gadot took center stage in her very own film.
Wonder Woman follows Diana from Themyscira into the human world during World War I, with Patty Jenkins directing and Chris Pine starring as Steve Trevor. Following its success, Gadot returned as the character in Justice League in 2017 and Wonder Woman 1984 in 2020. She also appeared in Zack Snyder’s Justice League and made surprise Wonder Woman appearances in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash.
By the time she hung up her tiara, Gadot hadn’t just established a blockbuster franchise—she had permanently rewritten what modern audiences picture when they think of the Amazon warrior. But as the DC Universe resets for the future, her definitive run leaves fans wondering who will pick up the golden lasso next.Related: Plan the Ultimate Marathon With Our Guide to Watching All the DC Extended Universe Movies in Order
Who Was the First Actress To Play Wonder Woman?
Technically, that distinction belongs to Ellie Wood Walker.
Walker played Diana Prince in the 1967 Who’s Afraid of Diana Prince? test presentation, while Linda Harrison appeared as the glamorous Wonder Woman Diana imagined seeing in the mirror.
If you’re asking about the first actress to star in a full-length released Wonder Woman production, however, the answer is Cathy Lee Crosby. And if you’re wondering who became the first Wonder Woman most audiences actually embraced as the character? That’s Lynda Carter.
Who Was the First Wonder Woman in a Movie?
Gal Gadot was the first actress to play Wonder Woman in a live-action feature film. Her debut came in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
The following year, Gadot starred in 2017’s Wonder Woman, the character’s first standalone live-action theatrical film. That happened an astonishing 76 years after Wonder Woman first appeared in All-Star Comics #8 in 1941.
Which Actress Has Played Wonder Woman the Most?
If we’re counting released live-action movies, the answer is easily Gal Gadot. Her appearances as Diana include:
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Wonder Woman Justice League Wonder Woman 1984 Zack Snyder’s Justice League Shazam! Fury of the Gods The FlashFor television, however, Lynda Carter has the much larger body of work.
She played Diana throughout three seasons of Wonder Woman from 1975 to 1979, making her the actress with the most individual live-action episodes centered on the character.
Who Is the Current Wonder Woman?
As of 2026, DC Studios has not announced the actress who will play Wonder Woman in its new DC Universe.
Gal Gadot’s version belonged to the previous DC film continuity, and a planned third Wonder Woman movie with director Patty Jenkins did not move forward. A new Wonder Woman feature is now in development, with Supergirl screenwriter Ana Nogueira writing the screenplay, but no new Diana has been publicly cast.
Gadot has also indicated that another Wonder Woman movie no longer fits particularly well with her current life, making a return increasingly unlikely.
Eventually, someone else will inherit the lasso. For now, though, the role sits between generations. And that’s unusual for a character who’s spent more than 80 years proving that Wonder Woman can change with the times without losing the things that make her recognizable.
Related: Every Actress Who Has Played Catwoman in a Live-Action Movie
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