respect :)
Lynda Carter is best known for playing iconic heroine Wonder Woman on TV from 1975 to ’79. She’s recently returned to her original career as a singer.
What is the enduring appeal of Wonder Woman? There’s an identification factor. She’s not your average superhero. It’s not so much about her super powers as it is about her ethic. I always thought of her as a figure who stands for what’s right. We all know what’s wrong with the world today, so maybe we need her right now.
Actors who are so closely identified with a particular role often don’t like discussing it but you seem quite fond of Wonder Woman. I realised a long time ago that people like to talk about it and I embrace the character – I always have. It’s a long time ago but when people come up to talk to me about it, it’s a way of connecting with them. It’s like going to see a concert and seeing someone play their greatest hits – if they didn’t play their greatest hits, it would be the same as if I never talked about her. She’s a great character.
What impact did the show have on your life? I can’t imagine life without her. I started as a singer and after Wonder Woman, I was able to do a lot with that. I’ve done many TV movies and TV series since, it really launched my career. It’s never held me back. I’ve done pretty much what I wanted to do. I met the son of the man who created Wonder Woman. He came to one of my concerts and we had a great chat about what his father’s vision of Wonder Woman was and how I inhabited the kind of character he wanted to create. It’s a sound endorsement. The man who created Wonder Woman also invented the lie detector test – so the lasso of truth came from that. That’s a piece of trivia for you.
Gal Gadot’s just been cast as Wonder Woman in the forthcoming Superman film – will it be odd to see someone else playing her? I don’t think so. It was a long time ago. I care more about the character continuing than holding on to my piece of it. I hope she has fun with it.
There’s been some criticism that Wonder Woman’s an additional character in Superman rather than getting her own film. And maybe that’s better. She won’t have to carry the whole film. It takes the pressure off. I wish her well. I’m just glad she’s going to be out there again. Maybe she’ll get her own show again.
You’ve been working on your singing career recently. How’s it going? It keeps me busy and I’m writing and working with people. My husband’s at work, my son is graduating from law school, my daughter is about to start law school – I’ve got to do something, I can’t just sit around. I’m not one to have lunch with the ladies and play tennis.
What’s in your musical repertoire? A lot of covers but interpreted with a bluesy feel with a smattering of contemporary country. I sing them the way I want to sing them and it’s a lot of fun. I’m proud of the show. I work with musicians who have worked on Grammy-winning albums.
What was your first professional gig? I was 14 and earned $90 from performing at a high school dance in Arizona. I thought it was a fortune. Then I played clubs and went on the road when I was 17. I sang jingles in LA and then became an actress. It’s been an interesting road. At first, I saw myself as a singer rather than actress but always wanted to do both. They both have their own appeal. I’m focusing on my singing but had an 18-year break to have my family, then realised they didn’t need me any more so went back to work. I try to live my life in the moment and move along and get love and give love and have fun and be fun.
You won Miss USA. What do you think about beauty competitions today? Not much – they look much more glamorous than they are. They’re actually embarrassing – walking around in your bathing suit with people saying who’s the prettiest. I was only in beauty contests for a very short time – it was over a few weeks that I won Miss Phoenix, Miss Arizona and Miss USA, then I was on my way to England for Miss World, where I finished second. When it’s over, you get paid some money, not a lot, and open supermarkets. I didn’t know what I was getting into. Some people work at those things for a lifetime and my experience of them lasted a few weeks. I’ve never talked to anyone who has entered those competitions who doesn’t feel the same way.
You’re doing some political activism at the moment. Does that get you in trouble? I support causes such as breast cancer, Alzheimer’s and getting women elected in politics. I support some progressive causes and not everyone’s going to like it but it’s part of our politics – you don’t get stoned for disagreeing with people. How’s it going to get me in trouble? What are they going to do? Spank me? It’s just a difference of opinion. I speak my mind – it’s better than being milquetoast and middle-of-the-road.
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