Gal Gadot was recently cast as Cleopatra in a new biopic, however, not everyone is happy about the news, Fox News reported today. This past Sunday, it was reported that Gadot would be working with Patty Jenkins again for the new biopic about the life and times of the former leader of Egypt.
Gadot said in her new announcement that she was very excited to tell Cleopatra’s story for the first time “through women’s eyes,” not only behind but in front of the camera as well. The Israeli actress took heat from social media users who questioned whether she was the right race for the role.
Gadot, who hails from Israel, was slammed as not being the right choice for the historical figure. For instance, users suggested the role should’ve gone to a black woman instead. Many users came out in her defense, arguing that even though she was an Egyptian ruler, most believe she was of Greek ancestry.
Thus far, the topic appears divided because Twitter users have been arguing that it was “whitewashing ” the character while others claim her ethnic background is perfectly suited for it. One user tagged Gadot in a tweet and said that “historically,” Cleopatra was probably black.
https://twitter.com/CartoonsExist/status/1315360155056443394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Other users argued that Cleopatra was actually from Greece, and wasn’t of Egyptian heritage. Regardless of her ethnic background, Gadot has been all over the headlines this year following her catastrophic video in which she and a bevy of other celebrities sang along to John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Gadot did an interview this week in which she spoke with reporters from Vanity Fair about the backlash she had received for creating the Instagram video.
Gadot claimed in the interview that it initially started out as just her and a few friends, but after Kristen Wiig got involved, way more people signed up to be in it. For instance, people such as Natalie Portman, Sia, Mark Ruffalo, and more signed on to be in the clip.
Social media users didn’t take too kindly to it, arguing that they couldn’t have chosen a worse time and song amid the beginning of the quarantine lockdown.