Comedy duo Matt Ketai and Tim Janas have captured viral attention with a series of sketches in which Ketai, a 36-year-old comedian, impersonates actress Gal Gadot. In the videos, posted daily to TikTok and Instagram, Ketai’s Gadot struggles through sessions with an exasperated acting coach, played by Janas, 37.
The parody, which has amassed millions of views, portrays Gadot with a heavily exaggerated Israeli accent and a wide-eyed bewilderment, as if processing human emotions for the first time. The impression has proven so effective that many viewers now find it inseparable from the actress herself. “I don’t even see the dude anymore,” one commenter wrote. “All I see is Gal Gadot practicing her lines.”
Ketai, a Brooklyn-based actor with classical training, explains that the character originated from a simple desire to make his friend and collaborator laugh. To get into character, he often starts by repeating Gadot’s most famously stilted lines, such as “Kal-El, no!” from Batman v Superman or “Pies are luxuries!” from Death on the Nile. “I think about it as if it’s a human that is figuring everything out in front of them — like a baby,” Ketai said. “She’s never figuring out anything internally. It’s just straight in front.”
The sketches tap into a long-standing public perception of Gadot’s acting abilities. After winning Miss Israel in 2004 and serving in the Israel Defense Forces, she was catapulted to Hollywood stardom with her role as Wonder Woman, a character she has played in seven films. However, many of her other performances have been met with poor reviews, and her line deliveries have frequently become internet memes.
Ketai believes Gadot’s performance in the first Wonder Woman film was convincing only because the character herself was a “fish out of water.” “And then, as we saw Death on the Nile, it was like, ‘Oh, no. Bad actor,’” he remarked. “There’s something very unique about Gal’s line readings… where we can all collectively say, ‘That’s not it.’”
The parody also touches on broader criticisms of the actress, including her tone-deaf 2020 “Imagine” video and her outspoken political views. Ketai suggests this context fuels the audience’s response. “The idea of punching up and also punching at people who fail up is interesting,” he noted, contrasting Gadot’s career with those of his talented but less successful peers. “Perhaps it’s even a commentary on the system.”
As the series has progressed, Ketai and Janas have introduced a meta-narrative, with their version of Gadot consulting publicists and lawyers about the parody videos. This twist was inspired by their own fears of a potential cease-and-desist letter, though Janas, who is also a lawyer, felt it was unlikely. Still, Ketai admits to worrying about professional repercussions. “I’m very much still in the industry, and I’m like, ‘Oh, no! What if her agents never want me to work?’”
When asked if the impression is a form of flattery, Ketai is clear. “I wouldn’t say in this case,” he stated. “No.”
