Before there was Captain Marvel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or even Katniss Everdeen from \u201cThe Hunger Games,\u201d there was the first widely recognized female superhero and action hero: Wonder Woman.<\/p>\n
The Smithsonian American Women\u2019s History Museum celebrated the 50th anniversary of the \u201cWonder Woman\u201d TV series on ABC, before moving to CBS.<\/p>\n
The Smithsonian\u2019s Arts and Industries Building was packed on March 5 for a conversation with Lynda Carter, the actor who brought Diana Prince and Wonder Woman to life.<\/p>\n
Carter was joined on stage by Patty Jenkins, the director, writer and producer behind the \u201cWonder Woman\u201d movie franchise, starring Gal Gadot.<\/p>\n
The line to get into the event stretched out the door. Before it began, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), waited patiently, and refused an offer to skip the line, even though she and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) were guest speakers.<\/p>\n
Showing the broad appeal of Wonder Woman, attendees included people of all ages, races and genders. The one thing they all had in common: all rose to their feet once Carter graced the stage.<\/p>\n
Matching the smiles in the audience was Carter, who seemed to look at each person in the eye to make them feel welcomed.<\/p>\n
Those in attendance learned it was Carter\u2019s idea to have Diana Prince transform into Wonder Woman with a spinning pirouette.<\/p>\n
Carter said the special effects team and producers had a Superman hang-up: \u201cThey didn\u2019t know how to transform me because they couldn\u2019t put me in a phone booth.<\/p>\n
Carter, who treats the role of Wonder Woman as a gift, shared the show\u2019s origin stories as if she were talking to friends in her living room.<\/p>\n
The truth is, she was with friends. While Carter is close to Jenkins and Malliotakis, she has been friends with Dingell, the godmother of her children, for decades.<\/p>\n
\u2018I knew exactly who she was\u2019<\/p>\n
After the event, Carter told WTOP that as soon as she was cast, she \u201cknew that Wonder Woman was an important character.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought that I could make a difference in how I played her,\u201d Carter said. \u201cI knew exactly who she was.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carter, who was in her early 20s when the show made its debut, pointed out that this was \u201cwomen\u2019s lib time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t think that necessarily the studio was right there with how I wanted to play her,\u201d Carter said. \u201cI think they wanted me to play her a little tougher.\u201d<\/p>\n
While no one would say Wonder Woman wasn\u2019t tough, she was portrayed by Carter with warmth, which made her very relatable.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that people in general, even today, feel safe around me,\u201d Carter said. \u201cI think it has to do with kindness.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Wonder](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/356242-220x300.jpg\")
<\/a>CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE: Cover of the Wonder Woman #1 comic book. (Courtesy Smithsonian Institution)<\/p>\n