Gal Gadot on whitewashing controversy for playing Cleopatra: 'Anybody can make this movie'

Israeli actor Gal Gadot, who is globally known for playing the fictional character Wonder Woman, recently opened up about playing Cleopatra after the whitewashing controversy took the internet by storm in October this year. While talking to BBC Arabic, Gadot was asked to elaborate her response to "some Egyptians", who say that Gadot playing the character of Cleopatra is whitewashing. While replying firmly to the question, Gal Gadot said that anybody can make this movie, and anybody can go ahead and do it. The actor further added that she is "very passionate" that she is going to do it on her own. 

Gal Gadot on Cleopatra's biopic

Interestingly, when the 35-year-old actor responded to the question, she also added Cleopatra was Macedonian. Later, she revealed that the makers were looking for a Macedonian actor that could fit Cleopatra. And, she was not there. Gadot further argued that she has friends from across the globe and said whether her friends are Muslims or Christian or Catholic or atheist or Buddhist, or Jewish, people are people.

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Gal also asserted that she wants to celebrate the legacy of Cleopatra and honour the amazing historic icon that she admires. On the other hand, she spilled some beans around the upcoming film and said that the biopic will retell the story for the first time through women's eyes, both behind and in front of the camera.

In October this year, the Justice League actor revealed that she would play Cleopatra and co-produce the film. Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins is directing the biopic. "I love embarking on new journeys, I love the excitement of new projects, the thrill of bringing new stories to life", read an excerpt from her announcement tweet. 

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As soon as she announced the project on the internet, it immediately prompted social media criticism of the white, Israeli-born star's casting as an African queen. The news sparked cultural whitewashing claims. A handful of netizens proclaimed that the role should instead go to an Arab or African actor. Cleopatra was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, a descendant of Ptolemy, a Macedonian general who served under Alexander the Great.

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