The new Cleopatra film was the subject of fierce controversy even before filming began — over the personality of the lead actress.
The role of the ruler of Ancient Egypt in the biopic Patti Jenkins is to be played by the Israeli actress Gal Gadot, known for her role as Wonder Woman, but not everyone liked this decision. On social media, the film crew was criticized for whitewashing, a common phenomenon in cinema when a white actor plays a character or historical figure of another race.
Many felt that the role — once played by Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor — should this time go to a woman of Arab or African descent.
As you might have heard I teamed up with @PattyJenks and @LKalogridis to bring the story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, to the big screen in a way she's never been seen before. To tell her story for the first time through women's eyes, both behind and in front of the camera. pic.twitter.com/k5eyTIfzjB
— Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) October 12, 2020
“Hollywood has always cast white actresses to play Queen of the Nile. — wrote writer and expert on Africa James Hall — Why not take an African actress at least once?
“I’m sure Gal Gadot will do a great job of playing Cleopatra,” added writer Morgan Jerkins, “but would prefer to be played by a woman whose skin color is slightly darker than a brown paper bag. That would be historically accurate. «
As a counterargument, other users stated that Cleopatra was more Greek or Macedonian than Arab or African, and some even accused critics of being anti-Semitic.
For example, Jerusalem Post journalist Seth Franzman said that Jews should not be deprived of the opportunity to play the role of immigrants from the Middle East, «since Jews are, first of all, people from the Middle East.»
A spokesman for Gal Gadot declined to comment on the situation.
Cleopatra will be the subject of another Hollywood epic. Playing #Cleopatra will be Israel's Gal Gadot. Hollywood has always cast white American actresses as the Queen of the Nile. For once, can't they find an African actress? pic.twitter.com/R1kNkhHsM4
— James Hall (@hallaboutafrica) October 11, 2020
So Cleopatra was white or not?
Cleopatra, who came from the ancient Greek dynasty of the Ptolemies, went down in history as the last queen of Egypt and one of the most beautiful women of her time — however, there is still no consensus on the color of her skin.
This is largely due to the fact that if the identity of Cleopatra's father is well known to everyone, then the identity of her mother is still the cause of debate.
According to one version, the queen was the daughter of Ptolemy and one of his sisters or cousins. According to another, the chosen one of the king was not a Greek woman, but an Egyptian woman who was born into the family of a priest from Memphis.
In addition, in 2009, archaeologists found the remains of Cleopatra's sister in Turkey, which determined that her mother — who was also the mother of the queen — was African.
According to British historian Mary Bird, thousands of existing images of Cleopatra are weak evidence of her racial identity, as they are based on conclusions «drawn from fragmentary or clearly unreliable sources.»
According to Byrd, today Cleopatra remains in the eyes of contemporaries «a queen without a face.»
