Even to this day, she is referred to as the original Wonder Woman. Her portrayal of the Amazonian superhero has cemented her place in pop culture and history. The actress said of her iconic role, “It was such a short part of my life, but it has made a bigger impact than any other thing I’ve done.”
In many ways, Lynda was a perfect match for the role. She was talented, gorgeous, and had class to match her great sense of humor.
But Lynda also had to overcome several obstacles before she landed the role and was catapulted into stardom. For example, she was not a very experienced actress and clashed with the producers. Lynda Carter was born in 1951 in Phoenix, Arizona. As early as a 5-year-old, she made her public television debut when she appeared on Lew King’s Talent Show. Growing up, however, another interest took over; music. In high school, Lynda joined a band. As a 15-year-old, she started working extra by singing at a local pizza parlor, earning $25 a weekend.
By then, her parents had divorced, and she had to endure other difficulties in her youth. People gasped when they saw Lynda during her childhood, and she constantly had to face comments about her height.
The Wonder Woman actress has always been quite tall, which gave her an early inferiority complex that she fought hard to turn around. ”All these feelings are left over from the time I was a kid. I mean: I was tall! Somebody would say, ’Oh, are you tall!’ And I giggle and say, ’Yeah, I’m tall!’ I was a clown. Inside I felt like crumbling jelly,” Lynda told reporters in 1979.
But overall, Lynda praised her upbringing. She went to church every Sunday, had picnics, joked around with her sister, and had a mother who dreaded her “going Hollywood.”
“It was so moral, so middle-class, so old-fashioned and so good,” she said. But her height which made her feel inferior as a young girl became the asset which landed her the role of Wonder Woman. Even today when the role of Wonder Woman is being played by other actresses, Carter says she is hopeful for them as well. “I’m very hopeful she embodies the essence of Wonder Woman,” Carter said about Gadot’s casting in the iconic role.
“It’s less about superpowers and more about heart and intellect and a sense of right and wrong with goodness in her,” Carter added. “Oftentimes, writers really want to take a male superhero and dress him up as a female — and that’s just not who she is.”
In her personal life, the actress is just as strong willed and brave as the character she portrayed all those years ago on television. She lost her husband of 37 years and while the grief was unbearable she overcame it. And her unwavering strength became a thing of awe for her fans. “The next part of my life is I want to learn who I am,” she said. “It’s totally frightening. I don’t know who I am without Robert.”
“It still gets me, I just can’t believe I’ve lost him,” she said of her husband’s passing. Thankfully, she is not alone and her children James and Jessica Carter are by her side helping her cope with this devastating loss. “Turns out my greatest adventure of all was becoming a mom. And I have loved every minute of it,” Carter wrote.
She gave up her blossoming career to be there for her children as a mother and now her children are returning the favor and spending time with their mother as she copes with the loss of her husband.
The actress is now in her 70s but does not believe in reversing or stopping the process of aging. She has sworn off all cosmetic procedures which are invasive in nature saying, “It is what it is. I’m not going to cut myself all the way up. With all that stuff, I’m too scared to look different, so I don’t think I will.” She attributed her radiant glow and youthful look even at 71 to her stellar genetics. She shared how she has an aversion to surgery and procedures to look youthful, “I think part of it is just genetic. And my dad looks really great. He’s 95, he looks fantastic. I know too many people who have jobs behind them and they look awful. I’m scared of looking creepy.”
Carter keeps her youthful glow through keeping a healthy diet and avoiding processed foods. She is also someone who excercises avidly both indoors and outdoors.
She also attributes her habits to her mother who gave her one of the first beauty advices she ever recieved. She said, “It would be my mother. She was so ahead of her time. She said, ’Do not go out in the sun. If you do, you’ll end up like a prune or an old leather purse.’ She had no wrinkles on her face, and her hands were always soft.”
The actress and her timeless beauty remind us that you do not need to stop the process of aging but can choose to age gracefully!
Share this with other fans of Lynda Carter and Wonder Woman so they can see how the actress is doing these days!
