Wonder Woman

The 'Wonder Woman' actress was ready to leave the industry behind before landing the iconic role.

Acting can be a thankless business. With all the work, the rejection, the dealing with people you don’t get along with, the exhausting hours and press tours, it’s a wonder than any celeb can stick it out as long as some of our greatest stars have. Sometimes all that disappointment can push an actor to the brink — and then the right audition at the right time for a fantastic role can pull them back again. That’s exactly what happened to Gal Gadot, a.k.a. our new Wonder Woman: before she was cast, she almost quit acting altogether.

From horror to comedy to action, here are the must-see films hitting theaters this spring.

Zack Snyder makes superhero movies, but his characters don’t act very heroic. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice features all the other trappings of the superhero genre: Capes, gadgets, outlandish muscles, punching stuff. But the two stars aren’t noble or chivalrous; they’re violent, aggressive, and angry — mostly at each other instead of the bad guys. In Snyder’s formulation, protecting the world from evil isn’t a gift or a calling; it’s a burden. And that feeling is reflected in the movie itself, a burdensome 150- minute slog about two men fighting over who is in the right when both are very clearly in the wrong.

The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum is by far my favorite of the Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC. As a kid and as an adult, I've always marveled at the amazing artifacts from the earliest days of flight all the way up to the space age and beyond. So their latest acquisition is definitely an incredible addition to the collection. Watch for details: