Lynda Carter Is Worth More Than You Think

The word "icon" is thrown around a lot but when it comes to Lynda Carter, it's genuinely apt. Although Gal Gadot is currently whipping the lasso of truth around, her name has yet to become synonymous with Wonder Woman. Carter, meanwhile, is nearly always prefixed by those magical words. The original female superhero ruled TV screens in the seventies, with the titular show airing from 1975-79. 

Carter enjoyed a sweet cameo in Wonder Woman 1984 some 40 years later, just to solidify her hold over the DC Comics role that made her. It's worth noting, however, that she remains a busy working actress to this day even without her Invisible Jet. The former beauty queen may not be showing up in our homes on a weekly basis anymore, but she's more than proven herself as a one-of-a-kind star with staying power. Carter has the bank balance to prove it, too.

As Variety reported at the time, 2018 saw Lynda Carter receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "I guess if there's ever a role that was meant for me, it was Wonder Woman," Carter admitted. The actress and singer is a staunch anti-bullying campaigner and, just like Wonder Woman's alter ego Diana Prince, Carter leads with her words rather than her fists. She took huge inspiration from her most famous character, however the icon clarified she "never played Wonder Woman. I always played Diana."

A proud feminist and LGBTQ rights advocate, who's served as grand marshal of several Pride parades, Carter revealed she got her moxie from her own mother and the other women who paved the way. In particular, those who worked in factories during WWII. The Wonder Woman star explained, "They felt so empowered that they could not only contribute to the safety of our nation, but they had a voice with their person and their hands in a physical way. Everyone had a part."

Speaking to director Patty Jenkins, who helmed both Wonder Woman films, Lynda Carter acknowledged she built her character from the ground up in spite of being surrounded by men (via Town & Country). She noted, "I recall really having some very pointed discussions with the producers about not dumbing her down. I won the argument eventually... it was about the complex nature of women, the complex nature of who we are." Carter admitted people don't realize she's still around, acknowledging, "I'm at the point where you just hope you're not forgotten." 

However, the dedicated activist is content to use her profile to fight for the rights of others. "I am still kicking. I'm out there fighting for votes, fighting for the rights of men and women, the rights of gay people. I'm always on my high horse," she enthused. Considering Celebrity Net Worth puts Carter at $10 million, the original Wonder Woman clearly has the freedom to do whatever she pleases.