Gal Gadot on Cleopatra: We're going to show not just how sexy and appealing she was

Gal Gadot's Cleopatra remake is moving forward, with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier director Kari Skogland taking over for Patty Jenkins. According to Variety, when the project was first announced in December 2020, it sparked controversy due to Gadot's casting as the iconic Egyptian queen. Wonder Woman's lead actor is an Israeli who plays a mixed-race historical figure in the period drama.

The uproar mirrored the whitewashing of Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of Cleopatra in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's eponymous 1963 film. Despite the backlash, Gadot recently told a magazine that her Cleopatra film will be the story the world needs to hear right now.

Gadot stated that she can't say much, but she can say that they are going to commemorate the Cleopatra story. They will show not only how sexy and appealing she was, but also how strategic and smart she was, and how much of an impact she had and continues to have on the world we live in today. 

The actor revealed that she has seen every Cleopatra film ever made, but she believes they are telling the story the world needs to hear right now.

In a December 2020 interview, Gadot addressed the backlash over her casting as Cleopatra. At the time, the actor defended accepting the role, saying that, to begin with, if one wants to stick to the facts, Cleopatra was Macedonian. The actor shared that they were looking for a Macedonian actress who would be a good fit for Cleopatra. However, they couldn't find one, and Gadot was very interested in Cleopatra.

The Red Notice actor continued saying that she has friends from all over the world, whether they're Muslims, Christians, Catholics, atheists, Buddhists, or, of course, Jews.

Gadot added that people are people, and she wants to celebrate Cleopatra's legacy and honour the amazing historical icon whom she greatly admires.

The actor went on to say that anyone can make this movie, and anyone can do it. She is so passionate about it that she is going to do it on her own.