Gal Gadot has teamed up with his Wonder Woman director, Patty Jenkins, to play Cleopatra in a period biographical drama scripted by Laeta Kalogridis. Her casting for the upcoming Paramount film has sparked a debate about the Egyptian ruler’s ancestry and whether the Israeli actress is suitable for the role.
The film was Gadot’s idea and is billed as an epic biographical drama, Deadline reported. Making the announcement, Gadot tweeted: “I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the excitement of bringing new stories to life. Cleopatra is a story that I wanted to tell for a long time. It can’t be more. thankful for this A team “.
As you may have heard, I partnered with @PattyJenks Y @LKalogridis to bring the story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, to the big screen in a way that has never been seen before. To tell your story for the first time through the eyes of women, both behind and in front of the camera. pic.twitter.com/k5eyTIfzjB
– Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) October 12, 2020
The ad drew criticism, with some criticizing the choice of an Israeli as the queen of Egypt, saying a woman of color should have gotten the role. Many netizens objected because Gadot is Israeli.
What idiot in Hollywood thought it would be a good idea to choose an Israeli actress like Cleopatra (a very smooth-looking one) over a ravishing Arab actress like Nadine Njeim? And what a shame, Gal Gadot. Your country steals Arab lands and you steal their roles in movies … smh. https://t.co/GY5tYEcl4K pic.twitter.com/JcrnM1RUQq
– sameera khan (@SameeraKhan) October 11, 2020
I’m sure Gal Gadot will do a wonderful job as Cleopatra. However, for me personally, I would love a Cleopatra that is darker than a brown paper bag, because that seems a bit more historically accurate.
– Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) October 11, 2020
Cleopatra was a descendant of Ptolemy I, a Macedonian Greek who established himself as king of Egypt after the death of his companion Alexander the Great. Gadot is not the first white woman to play the Egyptian queen. Claudette Colbert, Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor have portrayed the historical figure in the past.
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