The director of the Netflix series responds after an uproar about the black Cleopatra

The director of an upcoming Netflix documentary about Egyptian Queen Cleopatra has responded to the many negative reactions after it was announced that the historical figure would be played by a black actress.

The hoopla started when the Netflix one started tractor published the new documentary series ‘Queen Cleopatra’, which will be available on the streaming service from May 10th. Black Egyptian actress Adele James will here play the role of the Egyptian Queen. Based on the images, it also appears that the producers consciously wanted to promote the narrative that the well-known Ptolemaic ruler was of African descent. “I remember what my grandmother once said: ‘It doesn’t matter what they say at school, Cleopatra was black,’” says a woman in the footage. Currently, the trailer has 12 times more “dislikes” than “likes.” Netflix has also Disable comments Egyptians in particular seem unhappy with the decision.

Historical nonsense

However, historical sources indicate that Cleopatra was largely of Macedonian descent, given the available royal family ancestry. The Ptolemies showed a clear preference for intermarriage within their own ethnic group and even with close relatives, but there is some suspicion that they may also be descended to a lesser extent from some Middle Eastern or Persian figures. The statement that the Queen has African ancestry is only partially true, based solely on the gaps in her genealogy. Contemporary depictions of Cleopatra emphasize her European ancestry.

political work

Tina Graffy, director of docuseries, writes in an editorial diverse That “chance that Cleopatra was white” is somewhat unlikely. “When I did the research, I realized that it would be a political act for a black actress to play the part. (…) Why couldn’t Cleopatra be a pigmented sister? And why would some people want Cleopatra to be white?