Israeli film star Gal Gadot is defending her plan to play Cleopatra following accusations of whitewashing by numerous people who believed (erroneously) that an Arab or African actress should play the ancient Egyptian queen.
“First of all if you want to be true to the facts then Cleopatra was Macedonian,” the Wonder Woman actress told BBC Arabic’s Sam Asi.
“We were looking for a Macedonian actress that could fit Cleopatra. She wasn’t there, and I was very passionate about Cleopatra.”
Controversy erupted in October after Gadot announced that she would star in and co-produce the film.
The Guardian’s Hanna Flint called it “a backwards step for Hollywood representation” while director Lexi Alexander said a black actress should be cast.
Cleopatra, born in the ancient Egyptian capital Alexandria, was the last ruler in the dynasty founded by Alexander the Great’s Macedonian general Ptolemy, whose descendants ruled Egypt for 300 years.
So she wasn’t black, or Arabic– but Greek.
Watch Gadot share her viewpoint
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6 comments
After 300 years of rule and occupation, couldn’t you imagine that the last, Ptolemy, Cleoparra VII, had other cultural and genetic blood besides Macedonian.? όπα
WASPs have been in the US for 500 years. Do people like Trump, Bush, Clinton, etc. have other cultural and genetic blood besides WASP(ish)?
John: why are you hating on Wasps?
Don’t live in America then, wasps built this country that you live off on. You can always leave
Nik, you misunderstood what me and “Mark” posted. Based on your other posts, it’s ironic you got angry at my comment and not Marks.
Mark’s comment makes it seem like Cleopartra must be mixed ethnically/culturally because at that point Greeks were in Egypt for 300 years.
My point was that Wasps have been in the US 500 years, yet many/most of them are still basically Wasps. There’s a huge percent of them that haven’t mixed. I’m sure the same was true for may Greeks in Egypt like Cleopatra.
My point was that Cleopatra was probably mainly Greek, just like Wasps in the US are mainly Wasps.
Cleopatra was not a negro, that’s just more PC drivel enforcing on their anti-White agenda.
Frankly we’d all prefer to feast eyes on beautiful Wonder Woman Gail Godot
Americans and Europeans and frankly most of the planet will prefer looking at the beautiful Wonder Woman, Gail Gadot to any PC negro.
Liberalism is run amok