She served two years in the Israeli Defense Force and competed in high-stakes beauty pageants, but it was Hollywood that truly tested "Wonder Woman" Gal Gadot's resilience.

"This profession, the rejection, dude — it's tough," Gadot tells host Jimmy Fallon during an appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show."

Before booking an audition for the movie, which has grossed over $300 million worldwide and set records since opening just over a week ago, the actress and one-time Miss Israel considered making a film project in her native country her last.

"I had so many 'almosts,' and another camera test, and it was almost mine, and another one and another one," she says to Fallon. "I was telling my husband, 'I'm not sure how long I can take it.'"

Then, during a trip to Los Angeles, she got a call from "Wonder Woman" co-writer Zack Snyder, who wanted her to audition for a "secret role." After Gadot returned to Israel, Snyder called her with the big reveal.

"Zack calls me two days later and says, 'I don't know if you have this character in Israel, if she's big or not, but did you ever hear of Wonder Woman?'"

Gadot, shocked, reinvested herself in the idea of landing another film role.