Even before its official release, the documentary series 'Queen Cleopatra' became one of the most talked about topics on social media and even irritated some Egyptians. When disclosing Adele James in the role of Cleopatra VII, the Netflix once again raised the debate about the queen's physical appearance, especially in relation to the color of her skin.
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The Netflix production has four episodes and is the second season of the project 'African Queens'. With a life marked by the traditions of a civilization, the Netflix series shows the queen's saga and highlights one of the greatest virtues that Cleopatra had in life: intelligence.
The controversy in Egypt
Even before the release, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities spoke out in a statement and highlighted that the pharaoh was not black, as represented in the series.
The secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities confirms that Queen Cleopatra had fair skin and Hellenistic (Greek) features”, wrote the body in a statement published on the Ministry's website and shared by the website Deadline.
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Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, also states in the statement that, as it is a documentary series, it needs to “be based on historical data and scientific facts”. Statues and coin representations of Cleopatra depict her as Hellenistic features and fair skin, shaped nose and thin lips.
The series caused a negative reaction in Egypt after the casting of a black actress to play Cleopatra VII. A lawyer even filed a lawsuit accusing Netflix of violating media laws and trying to erase the Egyptian identity.
The production of Queen Cleopatra stated that “Cleopatra’s ancestry is highly debated.” Furthermore, Adele James, who plays the protagonist, sent a message to critics: “If you don’t like the cast, don’t watch the series.”
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But after all, was Queen Cleopatra black?
Nobody knows. This is the most correct answer to the question. Historians say it is possible that she, or any other female ancestor, was indigenous, white or black Egyptian or from another part of Africa.
The identity of Cleopatra's mother is unknown. She was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in 69 BC and became the last queen of a Greek-speaking dynasty founded by Ptolemy, Alexander the Great's Macedonian general. She succeeded her father Ptolemy 12th in 51 BC and ruled until her death in 30 BC
Netflix's partner site, everything, said the decision to cast British actress Adele James as Cleopatra in its new documentary series was a reference to the centuries-old debate over the ruler's race.
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