ENTERTAINMENTGal Gadot 'Channeled Tom Cruise' to Handle Exhausting Run Scenes in New Action Film 'The Runner'
Gal Gadot channeled Tom Cruise while handling exhausting running scenes in 'The Runner.'
Sept. 1 2026, Published 5:07 p.m. ET
Gal Gadot revealed how she found the motivation to tackle the intense physical demands of her new action-thriller, The Runner.
Speaking with Extra's Derek Hough, Gadot said, "I was like Tom Cruise. Just think, manifest Tom Cruise to my energy and just, like, if he does it I can try and do that."
"When you do such a physical movie, you assume that at one point, something is gonna happen. So even though I channeled as hard as I could, Tom Cruise's energy, at the end, my body just needed a break," she continued.
Gal Gadot Reveals 'The Runner' Filming Left Her On Crutches
Gal Gadot recalled running almost every day while filming 'The Runner.'
The actress opened up about how physically demanding the shoot became.
"You just do… The running part of it is kind of like the vehicle of how we tell the story… I had to run I think almost every day of filming… but it really helped me get into the state of mind of where the character is and being out of control and exhausted and fearful and all of that," she said.
Gadot revealed the demanding production eventually took a toll on her physically.
"It was a lot. I finished the film on crutches, because there’s only so much you can take. Oh, yeah. It was go, go, go," she added.
Gal Gadot Recalled Her Dance Background
Gal Gadot reflected on her 12 years as a dancer and her passion for choreography.
Away from the action, Gadot and Hough also bonded over their shared love of dance.
"I was a dancer. That’s how I started. I was a dancer for 12 years. Yes, that’s my passion. At one point, I wanted to be a choreographer. You have no idea… but not like Dancing with the Stars-type… I was dancing, like, hip hop and modern and ballet and all of that," she said.
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Derek Hough encouraged Gal Gadot to reconnect with her passion for dance, inspiring her playful 'Black Swan' joke.
Hough encouraged her to revisit that side of herself, prompting Gadot to joke about a possible new direction.
"We’ve got to revitalize this passion that’s brewing inside you," Hough said.
"'Black Swan,' here we go," Gadot said with a laugh.
Gadot Opened Up About Her Upcoming AI Film
Gal Gadot discussed filming 'Bitcoin' with AI-generated sets and lighting.
Gadot discussed her upcoming movie, Bitcoin, which took an unconventional approach to its production design.
"All the performances and everything is real and they generated the sets and lighting with AI but we had a big crew and everything," she said.
Gadot also described the experience of working within those digitally created surroundings.
"In a weird way, it felt like a theater because we were walking into a gray space and everything was gray, the table, if we have a table, the glass was gray," she revealed.
She continued, "So, that was an interesting experience and I had such a wonderful time filming with Doug Liman and Casey Affleck and Pete Davidson, and we had a lot of fun. It’s a crazy movie."
