image source, Netflix
“Queen Cleopatra” portrays British actress Adele James as ruler of Egypt.
A Netflix series portraying Queen Cleopatra VII as a black African has sparked controversy in Egypt.
A lawyer filed a complaint accusing the docudrama Queen Cleopatra (“toof Queen Cleopatra“) by violating media laws and seeking to “distort and erase the Egyptian identity.”
Moreover, a prominent archaeologist insisted that Cleopatra was “light-skinned, not black.”
But the series’ producer said “her heritage is hotly debated,” and the actress who plays her, Adele James, responded to the critics: “If you don’t like the cast, don’t watch the show.”.
James made the comment in a Twitter post with screenshots of the offensive comments that included racial slurs.
Egyptian Queen
Cleopatra was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. In 69 BC she became the last queen in a Greek-speaking dynasty established by the Macedonian general Ptolemy, and sent by Alexander the Great.
He succeeded his father, Ptolemy XII, in 51 BC, and ruled Egypt until his death in 30 BC, when Egypt fell under Roman rule.
The identity of Cleopatra’s mother is unknown, and historians say it could have been she or any other female ancestor, Egyptian or from other parts of Africa.
Netflix’s Tudum reported in February that the casting of mixed-race British actress James, Cleopatra in her new series was “a nod to a centuries-old conversation about a ruler’s race.”
Adele James has been a part of the BBC series ‘Casualty’ in 2021.
within, Jada Pinkett SmithThe American actress who was an executive producer and narrator was quoted as saying:
“We don’t often see or hear stories about Black Queens, and it was so important to me, my daughter, and my community to be able to hear these stories because there are millions!”
reaction in Egypt
When the trailer was released last week, many Egyptians condemned the portrayal of Cleopatra.
Zahi Hawass, a prominent Egyptologist and former Minister of Antiquities, told the newspaper Egyptian today That “this is completely wrong.” “Cleopatra was Greek, which means she was light-skinned, not black,” he said.
Hawass indicated that the only rulers of Egypt known to be black were the Kushite kings of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty (747-656 BC).
He added, “Netflix is trying to create confusion by spreading false and misleading facts that the origin of Egyptian civilization is black,” calling on Egyptians to oppose the internet giant. flow.
Lawyer Mahmoud Al-Semari filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor on Sunday, demanding that “the necessary legal measures be taken.” Block access to Netflix services in Egypt.
It claimed that the series includes visual materials and content that violates Egyptian media laws, and accused Netflix of trying to “promote Afrocentric thought (…) which includes slogans and writings aimed at distorting and erasing the Egyptian identity.”
Three years ago, plans for a Cleopatra movie starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot sparked heated debate on social media, with some insisting that the role should go to an Arab or African actress.
Gadot later defended the casting decision. “We were looking for a Macedonian actress who could suit Cleopatra. She didn’t come and I was very excited about Cleopatra.”
image source, Getty Images
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