The Queen Cleopatra Controversy: Blackwashing or Historical Accuracy?

The upcoming Netflix series "Queen Cleopatra," narrated by Jada Pinkett Smith, has sparked controversy over the casting of Adele James, who is of mixed heritage, as the iconic Egyptian ruler. Some people in Egypt and elsewhere argue that it is historically inaccurate for a Black woman to play the role. However, historians have debated the precise ancestry and race of Cleopatra, who ruled Egypt for 21 years. The show's director defended the decision to cast James, stating that it is more likely that Cleopatra looked like her than Elizabeth Taylor, who famously played the role in the 1963 movie.