Controversy over characters who changed their skin color in a film or series is increasingly appearing on social networks, with one of the most recent examples seen in the Netflix documentary ‘Queen Cleopatra’.
The new docu-series is executive produced by Jada Pinkett Smith (who can be seen in ‘Ali’ on ViX) and follows the life and legacy of Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt.
Although the first season of this documentary features interviews with experts, it also shows re-enactments of historical events, and actress Adele James was chosen to play the role of Cleopatra.
Fans criticize Cleopatra for not looking like Elizabeth Taylor in Netflix documentary
Ever since the first trailer for ‘Queen Cleopatra’ was shared on April 12, 2023, fans have been heavily criticizing the dramatic documentary, saying it is not an accurate historical representation.
The biggest criticism has been leveled at the black actress who will play the lead, with claims that the character’s skin color changed on screen and even being compared to Cleopatra from the 1963 film.
Thanks to her performance and beauty, Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Cleopatra in the 1960s film of the same name is considered one of the best versions of the character on screen.
Since Adele James’ Cleopatra does not look like Elizabeth Taylor, for many fans this new version made by Netflix is not satisfactory and they also do not understand the reason behind the skin change.
The documentary justifies the casting of someone of color as queen by pointing out that Cleopatra’s origins have been the subject of extensive academic debate, which Hollywood ignored, as in the classic 1963 film with Elizabeth Taylor.
Even in the trailer, one of the testimonials refers to this, commenting on the idea that no matter what many say or what is generally believed, Cleopatra was a black woman.
Some users have pointed out that the real Cleopatra was not African, but Greek of Persian descent. Historical studies show that Cleopatra was of Macedonian-Greek origin.
With that in mind, as well as the criticism of a black Cleopatra, some fans pointed out that Elizabeth Taylor wasn’t a very accurate representation of the queen either, since the actress was too white.
Premiering on Netflix on May 10, 2023, ‘Queen Cleopatra’ will have 4 episodes and is part of a series of documentaries produced on the platform that explore the lives of iconic African queens.
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Source: univision
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
