Gal Gadot set to play Cleopatra, but social media is divided
- 14 Oct 2020
Gal Gadot’s casting as Cleopatra in an upcoming Paramount film has led to controversy on social media with some alleging "cultural whitewashing," where white actors portray people of colour.
The announcement has launched a debate about the Egyptian ruler’s ancestry and whether the actress is right for the role.
The film, which will be directed by Patty Jenkins from a script by Laeta Kalogridis, was Gadot’s idea and is being billed as an epic biographical drama.
Gadot, best known for playing Wonder Woman in two Jenkins projects (including the upcoming “Woman Woman 1984”), is of Israeli descent.
She is far from the first white woman to play the role: Claudette Colbert, Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor have all portrayed the historical figure in the past.
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.
However, because her mother’s identity is unknown, Cleopatra’s ethnicity remains a mystery.
Fan reaction was mostly sceptical, with many saying the role should go to an Arab or African actress.
