Gal Gadot’s meteoric rise to stardom is nothing short of remarkable. She burst onto the scene in 2004 at the tender age of 18, winning the coveted Miss Israel title. This served as the catalyst for a prolific career that began with modeling and soon transitioned into acting. Her striking looks, exceptional talent, commanding presence, and impressive acting chops have earned her legions of devoted fans across the globe.
Gal Gadot, despite her desire to explore various film genres, finds herself at the center of a whitewashing controversy due to her expressed interest in portraying Cleopatra in an upcoming movie. Despite this, the Israeli actress stands by her decision and argues that Cleopatra is more than just a seductive queen who would do anything to protect her kingdom. For Gadot, this project holds personal significance.
Gal Gadot explains why she thinks she’s the perfect person to play the role of Cleopatra. While there was controversy surrounding her casting, with some critics saying it was a step back in Hollywood’s efforts towards better representation, Gal is committed to taking on the role. She acknowledges that historians believe Cleopatra was of mixed ethnicity and had darker skin, but she believes that casting someone of a different race or skin color would have been equally controversial. As an Ashkenazi Jew, Gal is a Middle Eastern woman herself, and she believes she can do justice to the role of Cleopatra.
The cast of the upcoming Cleopatra movie will remain unchanged despite some controversy surrounding the lead actress, Gal Gadot. Gadot recently spoke to Vogue Hong Kong about her childhood fascination with Cleopatra and how the Egyptian queen was a household name for her growing up in Israel. Gadot even drew comparisons between Cleopatra and her own DCEU superhero, Wonder Woman, praising Cleopatra as a real-life strong female leader. Gadot expressed her excitement to tell Cleopatra’s story after reading various books about her, finding it fascinating.
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The speaker stated that Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, is commonly depicted as a seducer who engages in relationships to secure her kingdom’s safety. However, upon working on a film about her, the speaker realized that this portrayal is based on subjective interpretations and narratives. She expressed that the main ideas she had encountered in films about Cleopatra emphasized her seductive nature and romantic involvements with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony. Nevertheless, the speaker believes that Cleopatra’s character holds more dimensions beyond this common depiction.
In her recent statement, Gal Gadot expressed her admiration for Queen Cleopatra and how the historical figure was ahead of her time. She emphasized that she is determined to portray the character accurately and do justice to her legacy. Gadot believes that Egypt during Cleopatra’s reign was futuristic compared to modern times. She revealed that they have a beautiful script and she cannot wait to share the story with the world. Gadot had previously mentioned in a BBC Arabic interview in 2020 that they were looking for a Macedonian actress to play the role of Cleopatra, but they couldn’t find anyone suitable, so she took on the role herself because she idolizes the character.
Initially, it’s worth noting that Cleopatra was actually Macedonian, so we were searching for an actress of Macedonian descent to play the role. However, we couldn’t find anyone suitable for the part, and I was really passionate about bringing this iconic historical figure to life on screen. Despite some controversy surrounding the casting process, I believe that people from all walks of life can appreciate and celebrate Cleopatra’s legacy. Personally, I have friends of various religions and backgrounds, and I think that everyone can learn something from this amazing historical figure. Of course, there are other filmmakers out there who could potentially make a movie about Cleopatra, but I am committed to doing it in my own way and with my own unique vision. It’s important to note that similar debates have arisen in the past, such as when Scarlett Johansson played a role that was meant to be portrayed by a Japanese actress in the MCU.
The 2017 film adaptation of the popular anime and manga series, Ghost in the Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson, received heavy criticism from fans for its apparent “whitewashing” of the lead role. Despite Johansson’s star power, fans were not pleased with the casting choice of a Caucasian actress playing a character that was originally portrayed as Asian. Many expressed disappointment with the decision to race-bend the character of Motoko Kusanagi/ Major Mira Killian and the backlash was significant.
The movie Ghost in the Shell, although it featured Takeshi Kitano and Chin Han, both Asian actors in supporting roles, was criticized for its casting of Scarlett Johansson as the lead. Director Rupert Sanders defended his decision, citing Johansson’s global popularity and potential to attract international audiences. However, this decision received backlash, resulting in the film earning only $167.9 million at the box office despite the widespread popularity of anime and manga. In contrast, Gal Gadot’s upcoming Cleopatra film does not have a release date yet.
