Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters and HBO Max on December 25, 2020. In an interview, Kristen Wiig discusses her character, Cheetah, and that despite being the villain, her character is actually very relatable and sympathetic.

From director Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot in the title role, Wonder Woman 1984 fast forwards to the 1980s as Wonder Woman finds herself in pursuit of two new formidable foes: Max Lord and the Cheetah.

In DC Comic lore, Barbara Minerva was an archeologist and close friend of Wonder Woman before she transforms into Cheetah. In Wonder Woman 1984 we fast forward decades from the first film to 1984 where Diana Prince (aka Wonder Woman) is living quietly among mortals and maintains a low profile, curating ancient artifacts and only performing her super-heroic acts incognito. She meets Barbara while working, and they quickly become friends.

Meeting Barbara Minerva

In an interview for Warner Bros., Wiig says about her character:

“Well, when we meet Barbara she’s very eager to belong and no one is really paying attention to her. She’s quite invisible and socially awkward. She’s really lonely. I mean, I’m sure we all feel those things at a time. So you can definitely dig deep, some of us not so deep, to feel those things.”

When asked about where the inspiration for the character comes from, Wiig states that:

“I think the character really came from you know Patty and I talking and reading the script and really wanting to show her evolution and have the audience be sympathetic to her throughout the whole movie even though she is a villain.”

Barbara’s evolution into Cheetah

Wiig also discusses where she thinks  Barbara’s motivation comes from:

“I think she really wants to be like Diana Prince. I mean, who doesn’t, I want to be like her. I think she’s she’s at the point in her life where she has been alone for a long time. And now she has this, you know, this new friend and her whole world is opening up. And it’s REALLY exciting for her.”

In the film, we first meet Wiig as Barbara, and slowly she evolves from this character who is Diana Prince’s friend to Cheetah, who is now her rival. Wigg describes the experience as playing four different characters and talks about how hair and makeup are a big part of this transformation.

“I always say it was like playing four different characters. And it was sort of finding the balance of making them all different but having like the essence of Barbra throughout all of them,” Wigg says. “Even when she’s super nice, and boring and sweet in the beginning and in the end when she’s, you know, Cheetah. But yeah I mean if the costumes and the hair and the make-up definitely went along with that evolution. That really helped.”

As Barbara’s confidence and changes start to change, we will see that her style will as well.  Wiig explains:

“In the beginning, we see her and she’s in, I would say comfortable clothes… and as she’s sort of owning her body and herself, she starts moving differently. Her clothes start even fitting differently. It was really fun.” 

The film also stars Chris Pine as Steve Trevor,  Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta. Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters and HBO Max on December 25, 2020.

For more Wonder Woman check out:

Pedro Pascal Exclusive Warner Bros. Wonder Woman 1984 Interview

Wonder Woman 1984 will hit theaters and HBO Max on the same day!

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