Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra: where the Americans and Egyptians both went wrong
We will never truly know the race of Queen Cleopatra. Historians have speculated based on statues and temple reliefs. However, the evidence is not unequivocal. We’ve seen sculptures where Cleopatra appears to have black coarse hair or thick curly hair. We also know that Queen Cleopatra’s father was Greek, which tends to fair towards olive-skinned complexions, but her mother was Egyptian — raising questions about both her skin tone and Cleopatra’s. And that’s where the current divide between black/African-Americans and modern-day Egyptians begins.
The makers of the Netflix docu-series, “Queen Cleopatra”, argue that she did not look like modern-day Egyptians because the Arab invasion occurred after her reign. The timeline is correct, but their assumptions about race are not.
Egyptians do not, and have never, had the same racial make-up. Our complexions range far and wide, from fair-skinned, blonde-haired individuals to black Nubians. Before Cleopatra’s reign, over 1400 years to be precise, the region saw countless waves of invasions from the Persians, Assyrians, Greek Macedonians, and Nubians. At its pinnacle, the Ancient Egyptians ruled from the Levant to Nubia from 1570 BC to 1544 BC. These prior invasions further contribute to our diversity. Furthermore, Egypt has always been a hub of transportation and trade because of its central proximity to Europe, Africa, and Asia.
While our 2023 society demands conclusive evidence of her race, the truth is, we still just don’t know. What we do know is that the reactions of modern-day Egyptians and the choices made by producers were racially and politically-driven.
I. Tina Gharavi failed to incorporate inclusive practices in the making of Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra
The documentary had great potential for cross-cultural collaboration in the telling of Cleopatra’s story, but this opportunity was lost. What Tina Gharavi did not consider is that Queen Cleopatra’s story was being told by Americans and excluded the voice of the very people she ruled: Egyptians. This was the same mistake Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz made when he filmed the 1963 Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor.
I frequently refer to “Moon Knight” when discussing the issue with my peers. Moon Knight is based on a Marvel comic directed by Jeremy Slater. The main character Mark Spector/Steven Grant is played by Oscar Isaac. Sure, it is a fictitious story, but there are two levels in which Jeremy Slater engaged in inclusive principles that Tina Gharavi could have learned from:
- Casting
The lead, supporting actress is May Calamawy, an Egyptian-Palestinian who plays Marc Spector’s wife. In one episode where May’s character is in Egypt, she’s seen speaking in Arabic to local Egyptians as they marvel at her heroism.
Khonshu, the Egyptian God of the Moon, was portrayed by Karim El-Hakim, an Egyptian-American. El-Hakim is known for his cinematography work and, more notably, directing “1/2 revolution”, a group of friends living in Downtown Cairo, Egypt in the days leading up to the 2011 Arab Spring.
Portraying the avatar Osiris, God of the Underworld, and Ammit, Goddess of the Underworld are Egyptian-Scottish actor, Khalid Abdallah and Jordanian actress, Saba Mubarak.
While Saba is not Egyptian, other Middle Eastern actors also suffer from cast-types as terrorists in American films. Tina Gharavi could have extended opportunities for both black/African-Americans and people from the Middle-East/North African (MENA) region.
2. Music Soundtrack
The Moon Knight soundtrack was composed by Hesham Nazih, known for “interweaving authentic melodies with contemporary music.” He brilliantly incorporated Arab-infused harmonies into classic orchestral music tracks. He also included underground Middle-Eastern artists DJ KABOO, Ahmed Saad, Enba, and Double Zuksh into the soundtrack.
Through the soundtrack, Slater was able to educate the audience on various Egyptian Gods and Goddesses while honoring modern-day Egyptians through a Marvel comic super hero.
II. Egyptians are not excused from racial discrimination
There is no question that both black Americans and black Africans face racial discrimination. In 2012, a team and I conducted research on the assimilation of Sudanese refugees in Egypt, specifically those from the Nuba Mountains, an indigenous population in Central Sudan. Stereotypes against the Sudanese exist as dangerous criminals who take jobs away from the Egyptians (SCRA 27). This narrative rings true in the U.S. as well from individuals who hold negative perceptions of immigrants.
There is no excuse for the racial discrimination black people face at a global level. I was truly embarrassed when Adele James shared the violent and sexual remarks she received from Egyptians when she was cast as Cleopatra. These remarks portray Egyptians as racist and contribute to the overall negative stereotypes of Middle-Eastern individuals in the United States. People from the Middle-East are already perceived as violent, terrorist, sexist individuals. By behaving in this manner, we are merely contributing to our own harmful stereotype.
III. #NotAllEgyptians
That being said, Americans need to recognize that assuming “all Egyptians are racist” is a conscious bias. Not all Egyptians engage in harmful attitudes and behaviors. To assume so is racist — the very phenomena we claim to stand against. Harmful stereotypes exist across all communities, and to perceive Egyptians, collectively, under this lens is wrong.
IV. Closing
The issues at hand are not mutually exclusive: Egyptians making racist remarks does not excuse Tina Gharavi from her poor production and casting choices, and vice versa. Simply replacing one marginalized community with another does not make for an inclusive society. It creates a divide between people of color and upholds white supremacy in the United States. Moving forward, Hollywood needs to set a new bar for inclusive practices.
