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Gal Gadot’s new film about ancient Egyptian ruler Cleopatra is already coming under fire before filming begins, with accusations of “whitewashing” the role.
The Israeli actress will star in the biopic, which will see her reunited with her Wonder Woman director, Patty Jenkins.
Gadot, who has been ranked as one of the highest paid actresses in the world, came up with the idea for the film, according to the American entertainment site Deadline.
the announcement on sunday sparked a debate on social media, and many users wondered why the role of Queen of the Nile has not gone to an African or Arab actress. It is the latest example in a growing debate over money laundering, when white actors play non-white roles on screen.
Elizabeth Taylor played Cleopatra in 1963. Photo: 20th Century Fox
Writer and broadcaster James Hall, an expert on Africa, wrote on Twitter: “Hollywood has always cast white American actresses as the Queen of the Nile. For once, can’t you find an African actress?”
Another Twitter user said: “So … there were no Egyptian women to play, uh, an Egyptian queen?”
Cleopatra was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 69BC, a descendant of the ancient Greek Ptolemy dynasty. The role was played by Elizabeth Taylor in 1963, alongside Richard Burton as Mark Antony.
In a reply to Hall, a Twitter user said: “On Cleopatra’s big nationality issue: YES, queen cleopatra has Greek heritage, but that doesn’t make her any less Egyptian, she’s one of the few queens who reigned in ancient Egypt that makes her one of the most important leaders of ancient Egypt (our history). “
Sky News has reached out to Gal Gadot’s spokesperson for comment.
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While the actress has not addressed the allegations, she has spoken publicly about another controversy: her heavily ridiculed celebrity-filled cover of John Lennon’s Imagine, which went viral for all the wrong reasons towards the beginning of the coronavirus emergency shutdown.
When asked about the video in a cover interview for Vanity Fair, the actress said, “Sometimes, you know, you try to do a good deed and it’s just not the right good deed.
“He had nothing but good intentions and he came from the best place, and he just wanted to send light and love to the world.”
She added: “I can only say that I intended to do something good and pure, and it did not transcend.”
