Gal Gadot to play Cleopatra on screen
And despite the controversy surrounding the role, the actress cannot wait to play the Queen of Egypt
Gal Gadot, future Queen of Egypt. After Fast & Furious and Wonder Woman, the actress is about to play another iconic role: Cleopatra.
A controversial casting decision
In preparation for many years, the biopic project has resurfaced with Gal Gadot still as impatient as ever to take on the role.
While Jada Pinkett Smith made the deliberate choice to cast a woman of color in the starring role of her Netflix docu-fiction released last May, this time Queen Cleopatra is to be played by Israeli actress Gal Gadot, a decision that, once again, set off a wave of hostile and cutting comments on social media. Accused of “whitewashing” or “cultural appropriation”, this decision has received mixed responses from internet users and relaunched debates surrounding the true ethnic origins of Egypt’s last pharaoh. Gal Gadot commented on the topic, announcing that the production had originally looked for a Macedonian actress before turning to her. In the actress’s own words, she wants to “celebrate the legacy of Cleopatra and honor this amazing historic icon that [she admires] so much.”
