What is the first thing that comes to mind when Wonder Woman is mentioned? Perhaps you see someone dressed in a red, white, and blue superhero suit. Many people still dress up in iconic costumes for Halloween. However, it turns out that we don’t know a lot of specifics about the outfit, as well as the actress who popularized it. Lynda Carter emerges as a woman of secrets.
You Probably Did Not Know This About The Wonder Woman Costume Worn By Lynda Carter
They Changed The Costume After Season One
The first Wonder Woman comic book was published during World War II. The makers of the TV show decided to set the show in the 1970s. Diana Prince, on the other hand, was dressed very differently. Hers was embossed with an American eagle, a clear nod to the country. A lot changed when the show was moved to a different network.
They Changed The Costume After Season One
Cutting Down On The Budget
ABC decided not to invest any further money in the Second World War sets after the first season. The network ultimately opted to take it from the schedule. Fortunately, the show has been picked up by CBS. They decided to situate the story in the present day. This wasn’t the only thing they changed. In addition, the costume has been updated! Instead of the eagle, it has gold stripes, which look better on the body.
Cutting Down On The Budget
The Fascinating History Of The Bracelet
Do you have any idea who Wonder Woman’s father is? His name was William Moulton Marston. He was a psychotherapist with problems with his wife and a former student. This was, as you might think, quite unusual in the 1920s. The third participant, Olivia Byrne, was fond of wearing huge bracelets. At the concert, he paid tribute to his lover by donning the same superheroine costume as her.
The Fascinating History Of The Bracelet
His Interest In Tying People Up
But there was a lot more to it. He was also fond of tying up other people. This is how the legend surrounding this feature arose. “Wonder Woman and her sister Amazons have to wear heavy bracelets to remind them of what happens to a girl when she lets a man conquer her.” Is it possible that removing those wristbands will drive her insane? They were made of “feminum,” a metal mined on Paradise Island, where the Amazons originated, in the TV show. Who’d have guessed it had such a raunchy past?
His Interest In Tying People Up
It Was Hard To Design Swimwear For Her
Have you ever wished you could wear a superhero’s outfit? You owe Donald Lee Feld a debt of gratitude if that’s the case. He was also known as Donfeld, and despite the fact that he couldn’t make a bikini that would stay on Lynda Carter, he received an Emmy for his costume design work on the episode “Anschluss ’77.”
It Was Hard To Design Swimwear For Her
They Gave Her A Wetsuit Instead
On the set of the show, they had a number of wardrobe mistakes with the bikini. This isn’t the kind of stuff you’d see on network television. Feld ultimately switched to a tight blue wetsuit as her underwear. On the plus side, this gear is better suited to fighting crime than a two-piece.
They Gave Her A Wetsuit Instead
Her Double Had To Wear It Too
Lynda Carter has her own body double for the show. Jeannie Epper, a stuntwoman, was cast in this role. However, things did not go as planned for her before the presentation. Did you know she was sacked from The Bionic Woman for having the wrong breast size? She had to wear a swimsuit when she auditioned for the role of Wonder Woman. She told NPR in 2015, “I think why it worked so well is I could move exactly like Lynda moved, and it was unlike [how] I moved. I moved more like Lindsay Wagner – more of the jock, athletic kind of running. And I just learned to become Lynda. It’s like an actor can adapt to character.” She went on, “You actually have to become an actress. And you have to be able to know how to not look at the camera and yet not look like you’re not looking at the camera, you know.” It must have helped that she and Carter were friends: “Lynda and I bonded fairly soon. I’m a watcher at first, and I want to know how actresses are going to feel about me.”
Her Double Had To Wear It Too
She Had To Keep An Eye On Her Weight
Playing a superheroine should be joyful, but Lynda Carter had to follow a strict schedule. She had to reduce weight to fit into the tape outfit, so she stuck to a strict diet and exercise routine. “I had to stay in shape because when you’re wearing a costume like that you can’t be eating doughnuts. But I was in my twenties, and I had the body for it – which I totally took for granted,” the actress shared with the Daily Express. She’s also opposed the practice of pressuring celebrities to lose weight. “I’m so sick of seeing these anorexic actresses,” Carter shared with Extra in 2007. “These people are crazy. Any place else in the country besides New York and LA, and they would be in a hospital.” She now advocates for good nutrition and regular exercise. In an interview with Energy Times in 2018, she said: “I eat whatever I want. I just cut down on the portion size. It’s all about portion control, portion control, portion control. I have a better relationship with food now, but I struggle with my weight.”
She Had To Keep An Eye On Her Weight
The Cowgirl Version Of Her Costume
The episode “The Bushwhackers” from the first season of the show is one of Lynda Carter’s favorites because it stars Roy Rogers. Working with the Western celebrity attracted the interest of the lead actress. In 2010, she told the Daily Express that “Working with Roy was a thrill because I was a huge fan, and I still have the script he signed for me.” But there’s one more thing you should know about this episode. The main character was dressed in a more modest cowgirl outfit. We already like the group as a whole, but we’re curious why they changed it at all. Do you think it was because the standard dress was unsuitable for riding a horse? There was also talk that Roy Rogers wanted his co-star to dress more modestly than normal for the film. Interesting.
The Cowgirl Version Of Her Costume
Her Outfit Is A Hit Among Drag Queens
In 2012, Out magazine had an interview with the actress: “Do you remember the first time you saw a drag queen dressed as Wonder Woman?” Carter then answered by saying, “I do remember the first time my son saw one. He was with me once when I was singing in San Francisco, and a big drag queen came to the show dressed to the nines. She was great!”
Her Outfit Is A Hit Among Drag Queens
How Her Son Reacted To It
The actress continued by saying, “My son’s reaction was priceless, and we loved it.” She continued, “I will say that some of the funniest ones I’ve seen are the Wonder Woman drag queens with the big pot bellies and tons of hair on their chests. Those are the best, and I’ve had my fair share of those viewing opportunities.”
How Her Son Reacted To It
She Did Her Own Stunts In The Getup
When she worked on Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter she was a total daredevil. Do you require evidence? A moment in which the character had to dangle from a chopper was inserted. You’d think Epper would be the one to take care of things. However, they couldn’t film it without disclosing that she was a double. Carter eventually performed the assignment on her own. It is said to have infuriated the producers!
She Did Her Own Stunts In The Getup
How She Nearly Died On The Set
There was also a time when she had a near-death experience on the set of the show. In 1976, Lynda Carter admitted to Johnny Carson that she had to jump over a car for a certain scene. They strung her up on wires, but she misjudged the distance and hit the vehicle head-on. “You got to remember this was an era where they were just barely allowing people to know there were doubles,” Epper explained when she spoke to the NPR in 2005. She added, “For many, many, many years, all the actors and actresses said they did their own stunt work.” For the actress, this was somewhat accurate.
How She Nearly Died On The Set
It Was Hard To Get The Spin Effect Right
Flying and super speed are two of the most recognizable superhero abilities. These goods will, without a doubt, be useful. But don’t forget how important it is for these characters to be able to switch from civilian to crime-fighting gear in the blink of an eye. Wonder Woman isn’t as lucky as Superman when it comes to hiding in a phone booth. Finally, the producers devised a novel solution. By spinning around, Diana’s alter ego finally emerges.
It Was Hard To Get The Spin Effect Right
This Was Harder Than It Looks
It took a lot longer to construct than it appears. The slo-mo effect they used in the first few episodes was too expensive and impossible to keep up with. Finally, they came up with the flash. This only happened throughout the editing process. Carter, on the other hand, slid into the costume with ease. Did you know that the actress was the one who invented the spinning trick? According to Entertainment Weekly in 2015, the creators were trying to find out how to make the clothing change work until the actress suggested it. She said, “I was a dancer, so I said, ‘I can do a pirouette or a spin.’ They put in the explosion later.”
This Was Harder Than It Looks
The New Costume Is Less Colorful
Lynda Carter isn’t the only person who has brought the role to life. Gal Gadot, who had the opportunity to try her hand at the role in 2017, might be the most famous for it. That same year, she starred in Wonder Woman and the three-year-later sequel Wonder Woman 1984. She was dressed in a more muted manner than Carter, which fans may have noted. The elder actress was not impressed.
The New Costume Is Less Colorful
She Preferred It More Colorful And Vivid
“One thing that is missing from that great photograph [Warner Brothers] released of Gal Gadot… I mean, she looks really great in [the costume], but where are the colors? Where’s the red, white, and blue?” In 2014, Lynda Carter told Nerdist. Even though she carried on, the interviewer agreed with her. “I’m sure she’ll be great. She’s lovely.” In 2020, the great actress revealed her feelings on seeing someone else take over the role: “When my daughter first saw Gal as Wonder Woman, she said, ‘Mom, I finally get it. I finally understand why everyone idolizes you. I finally get what Wonder Woman means to everyone.’ And that’s my daughter! That’s my flesh and blood. So, thank you, Gal. Thank you, [director] Patty [Jenkins].”
She Preferred It More Colorful And Vivid
She Hated How They Sexualized Her
The actress Lynda Carter’s portrayal of the superheroine gained a wide audience. However, the truth is that she did not appreciate the excessive focus on her attractiveness. She went into extensive depth about this in an interview with Us Weekly in 1980. Carter said: “I never meant to be a sexual object for anyone but my husband.”
She Hated How They Sexualized Her
The Actress Put Up With A Lot
“I never thought a picture of my body would be tacked up in men’s bathrooms,” she explained, “I hate men looking at me and thinking what they think. And I know what they think. They write and tell me.” Worse, she noticed a peephole in one of the dressing rooms. The individual who was in charge of this was terminated. Lynda Carter commented on her experiences with sexual harassment as an actress in 2018. She shared the following with The Daily Beast in light of the #MeToo movement: “I fended off my share [of unwanted attention, and] I’ve been afraid. [But] if a man tried something, I would say, ‘Are you kidding me?’… We were women’s lib, burn the bra. We weren’t going to take any **** from people.”
The Actress Put Up With A Lot
Why Wonder Woman Wore A Helmet
There was also a “stunt suit” in Wonder Woman’s closet, which was utilized when the character had to ride a motorcycle. Diana came with a pair of goggles and a helmet, despite the fact that she was almost invincible. That’s odd, isn’t it? There was, however, a plausible explanation. After all, they were aware that the show was being seen by children. It wouldn’t be proper if she didn’t lead by example!
Why Wonder Woman Wore A Helmet
She Has To Be A Role Model
Characters in movies and television shows should wear protective gear, according to children’s safety organizations. This, ideally, will encourage young viewers to do the same. That is why, whether she is driving a two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle, Diana is always cautious. Not only that, but she skateboards with a helmet on and arm guards on! What an intriguing fact.
She Has To Be A Role Model
Keeping A Couple Of Costumes
It’s only natural to want to take home some keepsakes from the set when you play such a well-known role. In this way, Lynda Carter isn’t an outlier. The actress spoke about it with Fox News in 2016. She revealed, “I happen to have one of the costumes from the [first season’s] ’40s [era] and one of them from the updated version… They’re falling apart in a closet somewhere.”
Keeping A Couple Of Costumes
She Is Willing To Donate Them
When Wonder Woman was released in theaters in 2017, Lynda Carter urged that the next actress do the same. The actress, on the other hand, is debating whether or not to keep the keepsake in her closet. During an interview with the Baltimore Sun, she was asked if she planned to donate her costume to a museum. She said, “If they help me restore one of them, I will certainly allow them to show it.” Aside from the actual costume itself, she took some of the accessories as well. In 2020, she took to Instagram to share, “For many years, Wonder Woman fans have asked, ‘Do you still have the bracelets?’… The answer is yes. I do have the bracelets, and wearing them still makes me feel like a total bad***!”
She Is Willing To Donate Them
The Bracelets Came With Pyrotechnics Inside
Every time she had to stop a gunshot, they had to use special effects to bring the superheroine to life. It’s worth mentioning that the show was made before the widespread use of computer graphics. The executives had to rely on technical wizardry to bring the effects to life. The stars on the bracelets were actually small fireworks with wires connecting to them. When they needed the sparks to fly, she merely had to press a button!
The Bracelets Came With Pyrotechnics Inside
It Was Not Easy To Pull This Off
Of course, there were problems with this strategy. For one thing, concealing the remote control proved to be a difficult task. Some of the show’s more observant viewers may have noticed something hidden in the actress’s palm. The impact was incredible, but you can imagine how risky it was to achieve.
It Was Not Easy To Pull This Off
She Does Not Find It Inherently Sexual
In 2016, the United Nations recognized Wonder Woman Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations. This news disappointed some people since they preferred a real woman over a fictional character. That wasn’t the only complaint people had about it. There was also the matter of her sexuality to consider. Carter was upset that people thought she was too sexual to be a role model. “All this stuff about costumes – ‘Oh, it’s exploitive and blah, blah, blah.’ Give me a break. You can’t say that the sock in the pants of Superman wasn’t,” she shared with Entertainment Weekly.
She Does Not Find It Inherently Sexual
It Is The Female Body
She went on to say, “Get over it,” and then, “That’s a woman’s body. We are all that. We’ve always been that, but we’re also every other shape and color and size. It’s not our problem [what we look like], it’s yours. I am a woman. This is how I look. I’m smart, and I’m this and I’m that as well. I don’t understand the threat that women represent.”
It Is The Female Body
Standing Up For Other People
She has already spoken out in support of those who dress up in costumes. After filmmaker James Cameron slammed the new Wonder Woman for wearing a “form-fitting” and “bustier” outfit, Lynda Carter composed a scathing reply to him, which she later uploaded on social media. What precisely did she say in response?
Standing Up For Other People
She Addressed Him Directly
Lynda Carter confronted James Cameron personally when she posted this on Facebook: “Perhaps you do not understand the character. I most certainly do. Your thuggish jabs at a brilliant director, Patty Jenkins, are ill-advised. This movie [Wonder Woman] was spot on. Gal Gadot was great. I know, Mr. Cameron – because I have embodied this character for more than 40 years.”
She Addressed Him Directly
Her Work Outside Of Wonder Woman
Despite the fact that she is best known for this role, Lynda Carter has also appeared in other films. She has done more television work in the past, as well as voice acting in video games. Did you know she has albums under her belt as well? She and her spouse are the parents of two children in her personal life. We’re sure Jessica, her daughter, is envious of a lot of ladies. Many people wish they had her beautiful features, which she received from her younger sister!
Her Work Outside Of Wonder Woman
She Used To Be A Beauty Queen
Before giving birth to her daughter, Lynda Carter rose to notoriety as a beauty queen. She participated and won a beauty pageant when she was 21 years old. She was chosen to represent Arizona at the Miss World America pageant in 1972 as a result of her victory. She also competed in the Miss World international pageant in the same year, reaching the semi-finals.
She Used To Be A Beauty Queen
Taking Hollywood By Storm
By doing so, she had gone a step closer to the world of acting. In Nakia, Lynda Carter had the chance to make her small-screen debut. As a result of this change, she was able to take on additional minor roles. Of course, we’re all familiar with the part that catapulted her into stardom. Executives first assumed that a female superhero would not appeal to audiences, but they were fortunately proven wrong.
Taking Hollywood By Storm
Her Fame Spread Abroad Too
Lynda Carter was well-known not only in the US but also around the world! Her beauty and Wonder Woman interpretation made her famous. The performance was at its zenith when she was named “the most beautiful woman in the world” by the British Press Organization and the International Academy of Beauty in 1978.
Her Fame Spread Abroad Too
She Tried Her Hand In Music
What did Lynda Carter do when she became well-known? She evidently decided to take up music as a hobby. In 1978, the talented performer told People, “People see me in a bathing suit every Friday night on TV, [but] I’m determined to make it on my talent – not my bosom. Singing is something I’ve been doing all my life, and I want people to know it.”
She Tried Her Hand In Music
How She Felt About The Attention
She was divided about the attention she received as a result of her attractive appearance, as we previously reported. She said, “I wasn’t the beautiful blond cupcake when I was growing up. I’ve been skinny, and I’ve been heavy. I wear glasses. I’m a real person. I’ve learned how to look great without wearing any makeup except a little bit of blusher and some mascara.”
How She Felt About The Attention
For Her Husband And No One Else
She went on to say more about this in 1980. She explained. “I never meant to be a sexual object for anyone but my husband. I never thought a picture of my body would be tacked up in men’s bathrooms. I hate men looking at me and thinking what they think. And I know what they think. They write and tell me.”
For Her Husband And No One Else
Her Former Husband
Carter was married to Ron Samuels, a movie producer, at the time. Carter was 25 years old when they married in 1977, but they divorced in 1982. Many years later, in December 2019, the actress told Closer magazine about her marriage, saying, “[Samuels] was a lot older [than me], and I was just stupid.”
Her Former Husband
Her Current Husband
Following her divorce from Samuels, Lynda Carter met a lawyer named Robert Altman. He was the managing partner of a Washington, D.C.-based firm. It didn’t take long for them to take things to the next level at the moment. They married for the first time in 1984, becoming husband and wife for the first time. By that time, she’d had enough of the attention.
Her Current Husband
Always The Talk Of The Town
Despite this, she remained the center of attention in the media. In 1985, the Washington Post published a piece about her second marriage. According to the source article, “She is tall, 5 feet, 9 inches, with generous bust and hips and small waist. Her features are prom queen pert, punctuated by masses of dark hair and huge, darkly outlined turquoise eyes. It’s easy to see how she won the part of Wonder Woman.”
Always The Talk Of The Town
They Had Dinner Together
Robert Altman told the press that he fell head over heels in love with her when he was asked to go out to dinner with her. “I knew she was a good-looking actress who modeled for Maybelline, but I couldn’t quite place her… I thought the last thing I need is to go to dinner and get mixed up with some Hollywood actress,” he shared.
They Had Dinner Together
It Went Without A Hitch
He continued, “I went. I sat next to [Carter], and we hit it off immediately. There was a strong and immediate attraction – even to the point that we were so very interested in one another that it seemed rude to the rest of the table. After that, I was definitely interested in seeing her. She was beautiful and fascinating – not at all what I had anticipated.”
It Went Without A Hitch
She Took Him By Surprise
She didn’t turn out to be the woman he had imagined. Robert Altman shared, “I expected someone who was narcissistic, self-important and full of herself. But [Carter] is unpretentious, warm, funny and bright. I wanted to see her again.” At any rate, the lawyer said, “I had no notion at the time that it was going to end up in marriage. I probably would have said, ‘It will be fun. That’s it.’”
She Took Him By Surprise
Her Status As A Sex Symbol
In an interview with the Washington Post, Lynda Carter discussed her thoughts about singing and her image as a sex symbol. “I’ve never been va-va-voom. I’ve never felt that way on stage that I’m promoting sexuality. The dresses are cut that way, but my personality is not that way,” she explained.
Her Status As A Sex Symbol
She Just Wants To Perform
“I don’t want to alienate half the audience, which is female. You don’t have to play on it if it’s there visually… I’m not trying to turn anyone on. I’m just singing and dancing,” she said. The journalist then asked Robert Altman if he ever thought women were envious of her amazing attractiveness.
She Just Wants To Perform
They Felt Envious Of Her
“Simply stated, yes. You can tell from the sideways glances, looking her up and down, [and] the little remarks that are made. It’s obvious there is a sense of envy,” he said. Was he jealous of other men? He answered with, “It’s all pretty good-natured. Nothing goes beyond the bounds of propriety… Crowds take to her.”
They Felt Envious Of Her
Her Plans To Start A Family
Lynda Carter appears to have had more plans than just acting in front of the camera and on stage. During the interview, she stated, “I want to start a family. It’s time. I have the man I want. I have where I want to live. My brother and sister both have children. They started young. I’ve waited, and now it’s right.”
Her Plans To Start A Family
And So She Did That
She did exactly what she said she was going to do. Lynda Carter and Robert Altman have taken a step back from the spotlight to start a new chapter in their lives. They had a son named James in 1988 and built a beautiful house in Maryland. After that, a daughter called Jessica was born two years later. People wanted to know if she had any regrets. After considerable consideration, the actress stated that she did not.
And So She Did That
She Found What She Wanted
In 2017, Lynda Carter told People: “I spent a lot of time on movie sets – and that is being said in a way right now that I’m grateful for it — but I didn’t have a lot of substance in my life. I found that it was the person. It’s always the people in your life – the friends and family that you choose to spend time with.”
She Found What She Wanted
Taking Care Of The Kids
“It is every step you take that is the more difficult step in taking care of your children. The easy way out often ends up being the hardest. I think that the intellectual pursuits in our family were much more the focus of our lives.” She added. Both of their children went on to become lawyers!
Taking Care Of The Kids