When someone mentions Wonder Woman, what is the first thing that springs to mind? Perhaps you see a superhero costume in red, white, and blue. On Halloween, many people still dress up in legendary costumes. However, it turns out that there are many details regarding the dress, as well as the actress who popularized it, that we don’t know. Lynda Carter turns out to be a mysterious woman.
You Probably Did Not Know This About The Wonder Woman Costume Worn By Lynda Carter
They Changed The Costume After Season One
During World War II, the first Wonder Woman comic book was published. The producers of the TV show chose the 1970s as the location for the show. Diana Prince, on the other hand, wore a quite different outfit. Hers was emblazoned with an eagle, a clear tribute to the United States. When the show was moved to a different network, a lot was changed.
They Changed The Costume After Season One
Cutting Down On The Budget
After the first season, ABC opted not to invest any further money in the Second World War War sets. In the end, the network decided to remove it from the schedule. Fortunately, CBS has picked up the show. They chose the present day as the setting. This was far from the only change they made. The costume has also been updated! It has gold stripes instead of the eagle, which flatter the body better.
Cutting Down On The Budget
The Fascinating History Of The Bracelet
Do you know who Wonder Woman’s so-called father is? William Moulton Marston was his name. He was a psychotherapist who was having issues with his wife and a former student. As you can expect, this was quite unusual in the 1920s. Olivia Byrne, the third party, was fond of wearing large bracelets. He paid respect to his lover at the show by wearing the same item as her in the superheroine costume.
The Fascinating History Of The Bracelet
His Interest In Tying People Up
But there was more to it than that. He was likewise keen on tying other people up. This is how the lore behind this feature came to be. “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 if she removes those wristbands, she will go mad? On the TV show, they were constructed of “feminum,” which is a metal mined on Paradise Island, where the Amazons originated. Who’d have imagined it had such a risqué backstory?
His Interest In Tying People Up
It Was Hard To Design Swimwear For Her
Have you ever been envious of a superhero’s costume? If that’s the case, you owe Donald Lee Feld a debt of gratitude. He was also known as Donfeld, and he won an Emmy for his costume design work on the episode “Anschluss ’77,” despite the fact that he couldn’t produce a bikini that would stay on Lynda Carter.
It Was Hard To Design Swimwear For Her
They Gave Her A Wetsuit Instead
They had a lot of wardrobe mishaps with the bikini on the set of the show. This isn’t the kind of thing that belongs on network TV. Feld eventually replaced her undergarments with a tight blue wetsuit. On the plus side, compared to a two-piece, this gear is better adapted to fighting crime.
They Gave Her A Wetsuit Instead
Her Double Had To Wear It Too
For the show, Lynda Carter had her own body double. A stuntwoman named Jeannie Epper was cast in this role. Prior to the presentation, however, things did not go as planned for her. Did you know she was fired from The Bionic Woman because her breast size was incorrect? When she auditioned for the role of Wonder Woman, she had to wear a swimsuit. In 2015, she told NPR, “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
You would assume that playing a superheroine is fun, but Lynda Carter had to stick to a rigid schedule. She had to lose weight to fit into the costume for tape, so she followed a strict diet and workout regimen. “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 has also spoken out against the practice of forcing celebrities to reduce 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
There is an episode called “The Bushwhackers” in the first season of the show that is one of Lynda Carter’s favorites since it features Roy Rogers. Working with the Western star had piqued the lead actress’s interest. She told the Daily Express in 2010 that “Working with Roy was a thrill because I was a huge fan, and I still have the script he signed for me.” However, there is something else you should know about this episode. The main character wore a more modest cowgirl-like costume. We already enjoy the ensemble as a whole, but we’re intrigued as to why they changed it at all. Do you believe it was because the standard attire was inappropriate for horseback riding? There was also a suggestion that Roy Rogers wanted his co-star to be dressed more conservatively than usual. Interesting.
The Cowgirl Version Of Her Costume
Her Outfit Is A Hit Among Drag Queens
The actress was interviewed by Out magazine in 2012: “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 went on to say, “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
Lynda Carter was a daredevil in disguise when she worked on Wonder Woman. Do you require proof? A sequence in which the character had to dangle from a chopper was included. You’d assume Epper would be the one to take care of it. They couldn’t shoot it without revealing that she was a double, though. Carter completed the task on her own in the end. It supposedly enraged the producers!
She Did Her Own Stunts In The Getup
How She Nearly Died On The Set
There was also a time on the set of the show when she experienced a near-death experience. Lynda Carter told Johnny Carson in 1976 that she had to jump over a car for a certain scenario. They rigged her up on wires, but she underestimated the distance and collided head-on with the vehicle. “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
When it comes to superhero skills, flying and super speed are two of the most prominent. Of course, these items will be useful. Let us not forget, though, how crucial it is for these characters to go from civilian to crime-fighting attire in the blink of an eye. Superman can hide in a phone booth, but Wonder Woman isn’t so lucky. Finally, the producers came up with a fresh option. Diana’s alter ego, complete with satin tights, could be transformed by spinning around.
It Was Hard To Get The Spin Effect Right
This Was Harder Than It Looks
It was more difficult to make than it appears. The slo-mo effect they used in the first few episodes proved to be too costly and difficult to maintain. They came up with the flash in the end. This happened solely throughout the editing process. Carter, on the other hand, just slipped into the suit. Did you know that it was the actress that came up with the spinning trick? The creators were trying to figure out how to make the wardrobe change work until the actress proposed it, according to Entertainment Weekly in 2015. 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 one who has given life to the character. Although Gal Gadot got a chance to try her hand at the job in 2017, she may be the most famous for it. She starred in Wonder Woman that year, as well as the three-year-later sequel Wonder Woman 1984. Fans may have noticed that she was dressed in a more subdued manner than Carter. This did not impress the older actress.
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 legendary actress opened up about watching someone else take up 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
Lynda Carter’s portrayal of the superheroine drew a large number of fans. However, the truth is that she didn’t like all of the attention paid to her appearance. When she spoke to Us Weekly in 1980, she went into great detail about this. According to Carter, “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 yet, she spotted a peephole in the dressing room at one point. The person who was responsible for this was fired. Lynda Carter reflected on all of the sexual harassment she faced as an actress in 2018. In light of the #MeToo movement, she shared this with The Daily Beast: “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
In Wonder Woman’s closet, there was also a “stunt suit.” When the character had to ride a motorcycle, this was used. Although Diana was practically invincible, it came with a pair of goggles and a helmet. Isn’t that strange? There was, however, a valid explanation for this. They knew the show was being seen by children, after all. It wouldn’t be right if she didn’t set an example for them!
Why Wonder Woman Wore A Helmet
She Has To Be A Role Model
Children’s safety organizations have long advocated for characters in movies and television shows to wear protective gear. This should hopefully inspire young viewers to do the same. That is why Diana is always cautious when she is behind the wheel of a two-wheeled vehicle or a four-wheeled vehicle. Not only that, but she also skateboards while wearing a helmet and arm protectors! What a fascinating fact.
She Has To Be A Role Model
Keeping A Couple Of Costumes
When you play such a famous part, it’s only natural to want to take home a few mementos from the set. Lynda Carter isn’t an outlier in this regard. In 2016, the actress discussed it with Fox News. She shared, “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
Lynda Carter proposed that the next actress do the same thing when Wonder Woman was released in theaters in 2017. The actress, on the other hand, is considering removing the memento from her closet. She was asked if she planned to give her costume to a museum during an interview with the Baltimore Sun. 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
They had to use special effects to bring the superheroine to life every time she had to stop a gunshot. It’s worth noting that the show was created before CGI was widely used. To bring the effects to life, the executives had to rely on technical wizardry. The bracelets had stars on them that were actually miniature fireworks with wires attached. She only had to touch a button when they needed the sparks to fly!
The Bracelets Came With Pyrotechnics Inside
It Was Not Easy To Pull This Off
Of course, this method was not without flaws. For one thing, concealing the remote control was a bit of a challenge. The show’s most keen viewers may have seen that there was something hidden in the actress’s palm. The effect was fantastic, but you can imagine how dangerous it was to pull it off.
It Was Not Easy To Pull This Off
She Does Not Find It Inherently Sexual
Wonder Woman was named Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations by the United Nations in 2016. Certain folks were disappointed by this revelation since they preferred a genuine woman to a fictional figure. That wasn’t the only issue folks had with it. There was also the issue of her sexuality. People thought she was too sexual to be a role model, which enraged Carter. “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 continued by saying, “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 previously advocated for people who dress up in costumes. Lynda Carter penned a furious message to filmmaker James Cameron, which she later posted on social media after he criticized the new Wonder Woman for wearing a “form-fitting” costume that is “bustier.” What exactly did she say in response?
Standing Up For Other People
She Addressed Him Directly
When she posted this on Facebook, Lynda Carter addressed James Cameron directly: “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 Lynda Carter is best remembered for this part, she has also acted in other films. She has done more TV work in the past, as well as acting in video games as a voice actress. Did you know she’s also got albums under her belt? In terms of her personal life, she and her husband are the parents of two children. We’re sure a lot of women are envious of Jessica, her daughter. Many people would kill to have her wonderful looks, which she inherited from her younger sister!
Her Work Outside Of Wonder Woman
She Used To Be A Beauty Queen
Lynda Carter rose to prominence as a beauty queen before giving birth to her daughter. She entered a beauty pageant when she was 21 years old and won the title. As a result of her triumph, she was chosen to represent Arizona at the Miss World America competition in 1972. In the same year, she competed in the Miss World international pageant and advanced to the semi-finals.
She Used To Be A Beauty Queen
Taking Hollywood By Storm
She had taken a step closer to the realm of acting by doing so. Lynda Carter had the opportunity to make her small-screen debut in Nakia. She was able to take on more little parts as a result of this opportunity. Of course, we’re all familiar with the role that launched her career. Initially, executives believed that a female superhero would not appeal to spectators, but they were luckily proven incorrect.
Taking Hollywood By Storm
Her Fame Spread Abroad Too
Lynda Carter was well-known not only in the United States but also internationally! Her beauty and interpretation of Wonder Woman made her famous. When the British Press Organisation and the International Academy of Beauty named her “the most beautiful woman in the world” in 1978, the show was at its pinnacle.
Her Fame Spread Abroad Too
She Tried Her Hand In Music
What did Lynda Carter do once she made a name for herself? She apparently decided to try her hand at music. This is what the gifted performer told People in 1978: “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
As we previously stated, she felt conflicted about the attention she received as a result of her beautiful looks. 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
In 1980, she expounded on this some more. She said, “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
Ron Samuels, a movie producer, was Carter’s spouse at the time. They married in 1977, when Carter was 25 years old, but divorced in 1982. And, many years later, in December 2019, the actress revealed the marriage to Closer magazine, saying, “[Samuels] was a lot older [than me], and I was just stupid.”
Her Former Husband
Her Current Husband
Lynda Carter met a lawyer named Robert Altman after she divorced Samuels. He was heading a firm in Washington, D.C. at the time, and it didn’t take long for them to take things to the next level. They married in 1984, making them husband and wife for the first time. She was tired of all the attention by that point.
Her Current Husband
Always The Talk Of The Town
Despite this, the media continued to focus on her. Her second marriage was the subject of an article in the Washington Post in 1985. According to the article in question, “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
When asked to go out to dinner with her, Robert Altman told the press that he fell head over heels in love 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
The lawyer 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 turned out to be nothing like the woman he had imagined. According to Robert Altman, “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
Lynda Carter expressed her feelings about singing and her reputation as a sex symbol in an interview with the Washington Post. “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 went on to ask Robert Altman if he ever felt ladies were envious of her stunning beauty.
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 by saying, “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 only acting on stage and in front of the camera. She said in the interview, “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
That’s exactly what she did. Lynda Carter and Robert Altman stepped away from the limelight to begin a new chapter in their life. In 1988, they had a baby boy named James and built a large house in Maryland. After that, two years later, a daughter named Jessica was born. People were curious if she had any regrets about it. After some thought, the actress admitted that she didn’t.
And So She Did That
She Found What She Wanted
Lynda Carter told People in 2017: “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. It’s worth noting that both of their children went on to become lawyers!
Taking Care Of The Kids