Gal Gadot surprises student with 'Wonder Woman' scholarship

Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Gal Gadot awarded a student with a Wonder Woman scholarship from Warner Bros. Wednesday at The Hollywood Reporter's 2017 Women in Entertainment breakfast.

The scholarship, which offers a four-year full-ride to Loyola Marymount University, was given to student Carla Arellano as a surprise.

"She's strong-minded, opinionated and gutsy. She wants to be a screenwriter, and she's already impressed everyone who knows her -- her fellow mentees, her professors and everyone in this room who's met her," Gadot said onstage. "She won't be able to continue at LMU without this funding. Similar to many other great young women in this program, her education is hanging by a thread."

"All I can think about right now are how many papers I have to write for my finals, and now I have to do it because of this!" Arellano said, after thanking her parents.

Arellano ended her speech with a quote from Frida Kahlo.

"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?" she said and noted that she was lucky to "be told from a young age that she had wings.

Justin Timberlake was present at the event and handed out three other full-ride scholarships to Loyola Marymount University, in addition to scholarships worth up to $10,000.

Honorees included Jennifer Lawrence who received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award and Amy Pascal who was honored with the Equity in Entertainment Award. Angelina Jolie was also present to give a keynote speech and Sarah Silverman who delivered the opening remarks.

"It's not easy to speak out," Lawrence said onstage, reciting a quote from Elie Wiesel. "It's not easy to face criticism on a global scale. But the fact is, I've been given a platform and I feel that if I don't use it, I don't deserve it."

"Let's be outspoken," she continued. "Let's be resilient. Let's all be silence breakers."