Casting Gal Gadot as Cleopatra in the next remake from Paramount does not bode well going by the recent wave of reactions to a viral tweet posted by Greek City Times. A Netflix adaptation of The Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt produced by Jada Smith received extreme backlash for showing a black woman, Adele James as Cleopatra instead of a Caucasian of Macedonian Greek.
While Gal Gadot won’t personify Cleopatra anytime soon, not unless Hollywood settles its ongoing differences with SAG & WGA – it’s clear Paramount and the Wonder Woman start will likely face the same heat Netflix’s docudrama did earlier in May. The upcoming adaptation from Paramount Pictures (initially set to be a Universal title) has been stuck in limbo for quite some time since Patty Jenkins exited the project in 2021.
Falcon and the Winter Soldier director Keri Skogland took over the directorial duties though the project is still stuck in pre-production with no word on a production start date – even prior to the SAG strike. But the choice of an Israeli actress playing has enraged a wide range of audiences, some even taking up issues with the star’s early life association with the Israeli military as a combat fitness Instructor.
“Israel borders Egypt, and I grew up with so many stories about Cleopatra, and she’s like a household name,” Gadot said to Variety in late June. “You know, if Wonder Woman is the imaginary strong female leader, Cleopatra’s actually the real one.”
Idk why some of y’all are acting shocked, Hollywood always casts z*onist scum to play cleopatra. First Elizabeth Taylor and now her.
One of the many reasons you’ll never catch me watching anything made about cleopatra https://t.co/5c5RZbLoB5
— Hana 𓂀 هنا (@hana_shf) July 21, 2023
Y’all asking why they’d cast her to play cleopatra but I’m still tryna figure how she’s still getting casted in general https://t.co/Fggnf44Fjx
— jax (@jaxajueny) July 21, 2023
If you were mad about the Black Cleopatra but not this, just know you are a hypocrite. https://t.co/ZucUabhG5j
— ✨🇴🇲🇵🇸سارة✨ (@SaraFangirl_Art) July 20, 2023
Kinda funny that the film industry is facing the largest collapse its seen since the 60s and we're getting another Cleopatra. https://t.co/qRGlXyfVK8
— Phillip Bastien (@PABastien) July 20, 2023
If you don’t call out Gal Gadot& Zionists stealing of Egyptian heritage, “spc that Zionists have agenda to colonize Egypt” then you’re racist and your anger against Netflix documentary about cleopatra isn’t bc of Afrocentric movement but more like bc you’re anti-black and racist https://t.co/AGNM6I29uX
— Lena 𓂆 (@Lee48xo) July 20, 2023
Inappropriate, offensive, and a blatant provocation towards the Egyptian and Palestinian world.
Disgusting film and an ugly ass actress. #GalGadot https://t.co/pW4xza95zO
— Robert Carter (@Bob_cart124) July 20, 2023
Every time Hollywood casts an actress for the role of Cleopatra: https://t.co/p8TakpXk0s pic.twitter.com/BHvpbvPoFr
— Ayman Refaat (@AymanRefaat_) July 20, 2023
Ironically it would be more historically accurate to cast a Hebrew as Cleopatra than it would a sub-Saharan African. https://t.co/cJpnvExGjH
— Tomski 🐵 (@Imperator_Gibbo) July 21, 2023
i do not believe cleopatra was the nubian mami wata black queen i know a lot of people wish to see her as but i also don’t believe she was gal gadot type either
— Aurora (@obscurepluto) July 22, 2023
Imagine putting out a poster that simultaneously disrespects Greek women, Egyptians, Palestinians, and the Greek script. CLSORDTRD???? Pick one. Cleopatra or Κλεοπάτρα. Did any research go into this movie or they just wanted another feature film for an ethnic cleanser https://t.co/tedO6ZOQ34
— jess 🌱 wear a mask (@seokksprouts) July 21, 2023
I would genuinely rather see a white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes and a little too much eyeliner play Cleopatra than Gal Gadot https://t.co/WagFRhzHAv
— Y.K (@KingKerrik) July 21, 2023
While Gal is intent on bringing “justice to this character and her legacy”, Cleopatra fans are not sharing her enthusiasm. Many are calling her casting inappropriate, as user @c89buendia wrote in a tweet, “Anything but an Egyptian-Greek one”.
Others also compared the situation to Elizabeth Taylor’s casting in the 1963’s Cleopatra. The expensive biopic which was muddled with behind-the-scene hurdles and was considered a financial burden for Fox although it earned $58 million ($484M when adjusted for inflation) from a production budget of $42M (surpassing $200M).
To many, Gadot’s acting performance has degraded, especially in portraying Wonder Woman for the DC Universe. The actress’ cameo in The Flash received lukewarm reception similar to her scene in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
The 38-year-old star still remains a sought-out celeb in Hollywood and her return to the F&F franchise through the latest Fast X has only amplified her supporters. But the verdict of her audience reach will be determined when Netflix’s Heart of Stone releases.
Y’all asking why they’d cast her to play cleopatra but I’m still tryna figure how she’s still getting casted in general https://t.co/Fggnf44Fjx
— jax (@jaxajueny) July 21, 2023
A black Cleopatra, an Israeli Cleopatra, I am waiting for the Asian transgender Cleopatra. Anything but an Egyptian-Greek one. https://t.co/wlYab0hW7u
— M.Nusair ۞ (@c89buendia) July 20, 2023
Gal Gadot colonizer, reveals she will play Cleopatra in new film https://t.co/ePkdJtSs71 pic.twitter.com/0yPX2NmxIT
— Monira Moon ❤️🇵🇸🔻 (@MoonMonira) July 21, 2023
“Cleopatra was Greek” idgaf she’s known for being AN EGYPTIAN QUEEN not for being macedonian & greek
— lebanese (@egyptiannna) July 21, 2023
Getting a bit tired of this take tbh. Military service is compulsory for Israeli youth, so piling whatever the IDF has done on top of every single Israeli soldier is pointless. It’s no different than saying I’m a war criminal because I served in the US military. https://t.co/AKNye0rqF0
— John Phipps: a juicy and meaty ass (@MagitekDad) July 21, 2023
every couple years twitter gets mad at gal gadot for some reason https://t.co/bTlzW1Lw3t
— calm_as_a_bomb 🇺🇲 (@calmasabomb2) July 22, 2023
I mean. The Netflix one was woke nonsense, she wasn’t black – she was Macedonian Greek by heritage.
But while Gal Gadot doesn’t detract from that ethnically in any meaningful way, she is Israeli and an Israeli portraying an Egyptian icon when Egypt and Israel have been in a…
— 🤬 Right Not Silent 🤬 (@RightNotSilent) July 21, 2023
What do you think of the upcoming Cleopatra reboot starring Gal Gadot? Let us know in the comments or hit us up @PursueNews24 to discuss all things Hollywood.
