‘I Will Never Be Silenced’: Gal Gadot Accepts #SeeHer Award At 2018 Critics’ Choice Awards
Gal Gadot delivered a powerful and inspiring speech after accepting the #SeeHer award at the 2018 Critics Choice Awards on Thursday, Jan. 11.
Gadot Honored With The #SeeHer Award
Gadot received the prestigious #SeeHer honor from her Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins for challenging female stereotypes not only on-screen but also in the real world. The filmmaker described Gadot as "her real Wonder Woman" before she presented the award to the Israeli star.
The #SeeHer campaign, started by the Association of National Advertisers last year, aims to "push boundaries" and "recognize the importance of accurately portraying women across the entertainment landscape." How to Get Away with Murder star Viola Davis was honored with the award last year.
Gadot's Acceptance Speech
The audience gave the 32-year-old actress a standing ovation as she received the award and humbly asked the crowd to sit. In her speech, Gadot noted that throughout her career, she always wanted to play the role of a strong and independent character and found all of the qualities she was looking for in Wonder Woman.
"She's full of heart, strength, compassion, and forgiveness. She sees wrong that must be made right," Gadot said. "She takes action when everyone around her is idle. She commands the attention of the world, and in doing so, she sets a positive example for humanity."
She also pointed out that when she entered the industry, there were still only a handful of female-led movies and even fewer films with women as directors. However, in 2017, three of the highest-grossing films were female-led, including Wonder Woman, Beauty and the Beast, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The actress noted that although there seems to be some progress, there's still a long way to go.
Gadot also voiced her support for the Time's Up campaign, which saw swarms of men and women dress in black at the Golden Globe Awards to protest against sexual harassment and gender inequality in Hollywood.
The actress said that she wanted to dedicate the award to all the men and women who stood up for what's right and took a stand for those who were unable to stand or speak for themselves. She concluded her inspiring acceptance speech with a commitment to "never be silenced" and continue to work together toward a common goal of equality.
Wonder Woman picked up three Critics' Choice nominations; Best Action Movie, Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design. Jenkins and Gadot have been confirmed to return for a Wonder Woman sequel, which has been set for release on Nov. 1, 2019. Watch Gadot's powerful speech below:
