Entertainment

Cleopatra controversy explained: Is Jewish Gal Gadot becoming Egyptian queen in reel unfair 'whitewashing'?

Actor Gal Gadot finds herself at the centre of a storm following the announcement of her reunion with 'Wonder Woman' director  Patty Jenkins for Paramount Pictures' upcoming biopic 'Cleopatra'. Gadot, 35, will play the titular role of the last ruler of Egypt's Ptolemaic Kingdom in the film. 
Actor Gal Gadot finds herself at the centre of a storm following the announcement of her reunion with 'Wonder Woman' director  Patty Jenkins for Paramount Pictures' upcoming biopic 'Cleopatra'. Gadot, 35, will play the titular role of the last ruler of Eg
Actor Gal Gadot finds herself at the centre of a storm following the announcement of her reunion with 'Wonder Woman' director  Patty Jenkins for Paramount Pictures' upcoming biopic 'Cleopatra'. Gadot, 35, will play the titular role of the last ruler of Eg
Bechu S
Updated on: 
2 min read
'I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the thrill of bringing new stories to life. Cleopatra is a story I wanted to tell for a very long time. Can't be more grateful about this A team!! @PattyJenks @ParamountPics #AtlasEntertainment #LaetaKalogridis,' the actor wrote on Twitter.
'I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the thrill of bringing new stories to life. Cleopatra is a story I wanted to tell for a very long time. Can't be more grateful about this A team!! @PattyJenks @ParamountPics #AtlasEntertainment #LaetaKalogridis,' the actor wrote on Twitter.
This isn't the first time that the story of the Egyptian ruler, known for her noble beauty gets adopted by Hollywood. Elizabeth Taylor famously played Cleopatra in the 1963 film of the same name. The film won four Oscars, including Best Picture. (Photo | Wikimedia Commons).
This isn't the first time that the story of the Egyptian ruler, known for her noble beauty gets adopted by Hollywood. Elizabeth Taylor famously played Cleopatra in the 1963 film of the same name. The film won four Oscars, including Best Picture. (Photo | Wikimedia Commons).
But a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. Anthropology and other schools of humanities have come a long way that young peers take pride in celebrating their legacy and seeking answers to cultural injustices done to their ancestors. Gadot, a supermodel of the west is accused of cultural appropriation by people of the Arab world while film critics find no logical reasons but whitewashing for her casting in the movie. (Photo | AP)
But a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. Anthropology and other schools of humanities have come a long way that young peers take pride in celebrating their legacy and seeking answers to cultural injustices done to their ancestors. Gadot, a supermodel of the west is accused of cultural appropriation by people of the Arab world while film critics find no logical reasons but whitewashing for her casting in the movie. (Photo | AP)
WHO WAS CLEOPATRA: Cleopatra belonged to an Ancient Greek royalty called the Ptolemy dynasty. She was born in Egypt in 69BC and ruled the Nile kingdom when it was a client state of Rome. (Photo | Getty/AFP)
WHO WAS CLEOPATRA: Cleopatra belonged to an Ancient Greek royalty called the Ptolemy dynasty. She was born in Egypt in 69BC and ruled the Nile kingdom when it was a client state of Rome. (Photo | Getty/AFP)
While there’s no doubt that Cleopatra was Macedonian-Greek on her father Ptolemy XII’s side, the ethnic origin of her mother remains unknown - strengthening the idea that the Egyptian ruler was of mixed heritage. Hence her 'skin colour' remains a mystery to the modern world. (Photo | Twitter)
While there’s no doubt that Cleopatra was Macedonian-Greek on her father Ptolemy XII’s side, the ethnic origin of her mother remains unknown - strengthening the idea that the Egyptian ruler was of mixed heritage. Hence her 'skin colour' remains a mystery to the modern world. (Photo | Twitter)
WHAT IS CULTURAL APPROPRIATION? When members of a dominant culture take components (without acknowledging the origin) from another society which has been systematically oppressed by that dominant group, it accounts to CA. Coined in the 1990s, it is dominantly used in post-colonial studies and countries with a history marked by clashes with indigenous groups and invaders. Caucasian men wearing Native American headdress or Sikh turbans are examples. (IN PIC: A scene from 2010 fantasy-action flick 'The Last Airbender')
WHAT IS CULTURAL APPROPRIATION? When members of a dominant culture take components (without acknowledging the origin) from another society which has been systematically oppressed by that dominant group, it accounts to CA. Coined in the 1990s, it is dominantly used in post-colonial studies and countries with a history marked by clashes with indigenous groups and invaders. Caucasian men wearing Native American headdress or Sikh turbans are examples. (IN PIC: A scene from 2010 fantasy-action flick 'The Last Airbender')
English magazine 'the week.uk' once put it this way: The problem arises when somebody takes something from another less dominant culture in a way that members of that culture find undesirable and offensive. The point is that the more marginalised group doesn’t get a say, while their heritage is deployed by someone in a position of greater privilege – for fun or fashion, perhaps, and out of a place of ignorance rather than knowledge of that culture. (IN PIC: Gal Gadot in 'Wonder Woman 1984')
English magazine 'the week.uk' once put it this way: The problem arises when somebody takes something from another less dominant culture in a way that members of that culture find undesirable and offensive. The point is that the more marginalised group doesn’t get a say, while their heritage is deployed by someone in a position of greater privilege – for fun or fashion, perhaps, and out of a place of ignorance rather than knowledge of that culture. (IN PIC: Gal Gadot in 'Wonder Woman 1984')
WHAT IS WHITEWASHING?: Whitewashing refers to the culture of substituting characters/personalities of another race by white people on the screen and stretching or manipulating a story to connect with white audiences by satisfying their lifestyle or worldview. (IN PIC: Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi from 2017 Japanese manga-based 'Ghost in the Shell')
WHAT IS WHITEWASHING?: Whitewashing refers to the culture of substituting characters/personalities of another race by white people on the screen and stretching or manipulating a story to connect with white audiences by satisfying their lifestyle or worldview. (IN PIC: Scarlett Johansson as Motoko Kusanagi from 2017 Japanese manga-based 'Ghost in the Shell')
'Argo' (2012), which won the Best Film Award in the 85th Academy Awards gives a fine example for whitewashing from recent times. Ben Affleck plays the role of CIA officer Tony Mendez who led the mission to rescue six Americans during the Iranian crisis of 1981. Originally a Latino, an American hero's agency gets hijacked to make him suitable for the imagination of the largely-white US audience. (Twitter Photo)
'Argo' (2012), which won the Best Film Award in the 85th Academy Awards gives a fine example for whitewashing from recent times. Ben Affleck plays the role of CIA officer Tony Mendez who led the mission to rescue six Americans during the Iranian crisis of 1981. Originally a Latino, an American hero's agency gets hijacked to make him suitable for the imagination of the largely-white US audience. (Twitter Photo)
THE POLITICAL SIDE: However, colour-blind casting isn't the only problem involved. The long-lasting struggle between the Arab world and Israel also comes in the picture as supermodel Gadot is an Israeli. Despite Egypt softening its political stand recently, the Middle East, in general, is still a long way from forgiving the zionist regime given the bloody history they share. An Israeli being cast to play the Queen of their land is too much for them and hence the uproar. (Photo | AP)
THE POLITICAL SIDE: However, colour-blind casting isn't the only problem involved. The long-lasting struggle between the Arab world and Israel also comes in the picture as supermodel Gadot is an Israeli. Despite Egypt softening its political stand recently, the Middle East, in general, is still a long way from forgiving the zionist regime given the bloody history they share. An Israeli being cast to play the Queen of their land is too much for them and hence the uproar. (Photo | AP)
Meanwhile, the opposing side ridicule this argument pointing that Jews are people of the Middle East too, who originated from the Levant during the second millennium BCE (Photo | AP)
Meanwhile, the opposing side ridicule this argument pointing that Jews are people of the Middle East too, who originated from the Levant during the second millennium BCE (Photo | AP)
But the problem is, Gal is just any Jew. She is an ardent supporter of the Israeli occupational force in Gaza! She served in the force and once praised them on social media following a bloody conflict with the Palestinians. If not enough President Reuven Rivlin hailed the actress a “true and beloved ambassador” for Israel in 2017. (Photo | AP)
But the problem is, Gal is just any Jew. She is an ardent supporter of the Israeli occupational force in Gaza! She served in the force and once praised them on social media following a bloody conflict with the Palestinians. If not enough President Reuven Rivlin hailed the actress a “true and beloved ambassador” for Israel in 2017. (Photo | AP)
Caught guard down by the pandemic, Gal Gadot's latest 'Wonder Woman 1984' is expecting a worldwide release in Christmas following a postponement. (Photo | Facebook/ Gal Gadot)
Caught guard down by the pandemic, Gal Gadot's latest 'Wonder Woman 1984' is expecting a worldwide release in Christmas following a postponement. (Photo | Facebook/ Gal Gadot)
Hollywood
Israel
Gal Gadot
Middle East
racism
Arab world
Patty jenkins

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