This week, Paramount Pictures revealed that Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins would again partner with her superhero star, Gal Gadot, in an upcoming film, Cleopatra.
As you might have heard I teamed up with @PattyJenks and @LKalogridis to bring the story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, to the big screen in a way she’s never been seen before. To tell her story for the first time through women's eyes, both behind and in front of the camera. pic.twitter.com/k5eyTIfzjB
— Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) October 12, 2020
Multiple Hollywood studios have struggled to get the wheels spinning on Cleopatra-related projects for a few years now, with Variety reporting that Angelina Jolie and Lady Gaga were at one point rumored to star in a film based on the historical figure.
Reactions to the casting have ranged from positive to outright confusion on social media. While an Egyptian queen, scholars have often identified Cleopatra as someone of Greek ancestry with debates regarding some Persian and Syrian ancestry, too. Gadot is an Israeli actress, and some have raised questions regarding whether she is fit to play the role.
Recently, Zoe Saldana, who played a black civil rights leader in a movie, but was obligated to apologize for not being black enough as per the mainstream media. Her apologizing is unfortunate in itself as she has black heritage.
Would it be considered racist to cast Gal Gadot as Cleopatra in this day and age? There were some Twitteratis who think so and have blatantly unleashed their disappointment.
What do you think of Gal Gadot playing an Egyptian queen?
