Netflix's "Queen Cleopatra" sparks debate over portrayal of Egypt's last pharaoh | The Noon

Alright, let's talk about this one. A new documentary from Netflix is creating some debate over the portrayal of Egypt's Queen Cleopatra. Now Adele James is the black actress who plays this Egyptian ruler in this Netflix docu-drama. Now this has led to some people, including archaeologists, to point out that Queen Cleopatra was not black, they say. Thank you. But of Greek ancestry. What does that mean? Does Greek ancestry mean not black? Okay, one Egyptian lawyer is suing Netflix over its casting of James as Cleopatra and wants Netflix to shut down in Egypt.

So far, Netflix has not commented on this lawsuit. Also the government of Egypt is going to make their own documentary saying with accurate historical reflections of the Queen that they say they'll put on their history channel very soon to balance what Netflix has done. And not just very soon, they said they will release it the same day and for a more historical, I mean the words used were a lighter skinned actress. A more historical representation. Why? Why Egypt? Why? I mean this is colorism at its finest because there are a lot of question marks about Cleopatra. Her mother, like people don't, we don't know who her mother is, but they were in Africa. So we have to maybe wonder if she was African, her grandparents, complete mystery.

Egypt by the way is also- Where's Egypt? On the African continent. Are you sure? Pretty sure it is. Last time I looked at my globe. Egypt is in Africa? Yes. Just saying Egypt, we're cool with you. I mean it's fine. And by the way, Jada Pinkett Smith, did you realize that is one of the producers on this? Yes, I did.

I don't know if that helped the project or not. But she is one of the producers. I said that out loud. I shouldn't have brought that up. But you know, she's saying creative liberties. They weren't trying to make a statement, but there is also this offline conversation that's been going on for decades about her background, Cleopatra. Well, I have to say this.

If the people who made the crown made those embellishments around the royal family, why is Egypt so mad? Because Hollywood or any kind of representation of factual stuff says inspired by true events. Which usually, Leet gets them out of lawsuits because they're saying this isn't history class, this is a movie. They're also saying this is a docu drama. Maybe the docu part is what's making them mad. But Hollywood makes stuff up when they tell stories. In conclusion, the part of what the Egyptian government said was that whatever is happening in America right now, this reckoning on race, this new consciousness and having to change and tell the truth about history, in my words now, paraphrasing, they said that's what y'all have going on. That doesn't have anything to do with us.

Don't mess with us. Moving us into whatever your new realizations are was the unofficial statement. Can I have a total sidebar for a second? When I was in the rap steady crew, 1984 through 1987, Egyptian lover was the song that I would dance to. Beenie neenie Egypt. Back to you. And back to you, Maria. I don't know if they would have appreciated that very much.

It doesn't seem that way. You know what I'm talking about, Steve? That was a great song, man. Egypt is the place to be. Egypt. Egypt. Okay. I mean, I like what you got going on.

I got to listen to it. Don't get me started. A popular subscription. What were the years again? Because I felt like that was important information. 84 through 87. And then did you get kicked out or did the group disband? Graduates negated. We all had to go where we had to go.

Graduated and moved on with our lives. Left and hanging. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

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Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

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