Usually the announcement of a new role is supposed to be met with surprise and excitement, but for Gal Gadot this time around, it’s being met with criticism.
The actress announced that she will take on the role of one of the most famous women in history, Cleopatra, for a new Paramount film. But Twitter users and critics are not too happy about the casting and say it should have been given to a person of colour in order to be historically accurate and representative.
Gal, who has made a name for herself in Hollywood as Wonder Woman, posted about the new role on Twitter saying that this feature film about Cleopatra would “… tell her story for the first time through women’s eyes, both behind and in front of the camera.”
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
According to the history books, Cleopatra was born in Egypt. No one knows her exact heritage because her mother’s identity remains unknown, but some scholars believe she would have also had Persian and Syrian ancestry.
Twitter users feel that an actress more suited to the most famous Egyptian queen should have been cast with one tweeting:
“There are so many talented arabs (or Egyptians in that matter) Hollywood could’ve at least searched for an Egyptian actress for the role instead of handing it to a zionist and whitewashing one of the most powerful leaders in our history.”
1. there are so many talented arabs (or egyptians in that matter) hollywood could’ve at least searched for an egyptian actress for the role instead of handing it to a zionist and whitewashing one of the most powerful leaders in our history.
— ray ? (@lustbarnes) October 11, 2020
Another asked “So…there were no Egyptian women to play, um, an *Egyptian* queen?”
So…there were no Egyptian women to play, um, an *Egyptian* queen? https://t.co/RBFv55He8d
— Abdul El-Sayed, MD, DPhil (@AbdulElSayed) October 11, 2020
There are no details yet on who else has been cast in the film and there isn’t a release date just yet.
We’ll keep you updated on the film’s progress.
