PremiumQueen Cleopatra actor Adele James breaks her silence on the 'blackwashing' in the docudrama
The mixed-race actor has claimed that she received death threats for playing Cleopatra
Last Updated: 06.25 PM, May 10, 2023
There was quite an uproar when the teaser for Netflix's docudrama "Queen Cleopatra" was released. The documentary shows one of the most popular queens, Cleopatra, as a black woman, which is unlike how she’s been portrayed thus far.
Read also: Queen Cleopatra review: This one seems more like a drama series and less like a documentary
Soon after the release of the trailer, Egyptians called for a ban on the documentary online, claiming that it distorted their history. Upon the release of the documentary earlier today, there have been reports that Egypt is going to make its own documentary on Cleopatra in response to Nextflix's "Queen Cleopatra".
Now, the lead actor of "Queen Cleopatra", Adele James, who is mixed race, has broken her silence on the claims that the series, whose executive producer is Jada Pinkette Smith, has been "blackwashed".
Adele, who plays Cleopatra in the docudrama, has spoken out in an interview, in which she claimed that she has received death threats for playing the character.
Speaking to Glamour, Adele said, "The only thing I can say about it (Cleopatra’s background) is that we just don’t know. There are versions of Cleopatra that exist already with actresses in that role who are fairer skinned than I am, but I think I have every right to have a shot at humanising this incredible woman."
Saying that the entire team of the documentary put their "blood, sweat, and tears" into the show, Adele spoke about receiving death threats and being a victim of racist comments. "It’s very harmful. All we did was release a trailer and see the response. So, I’m anticipating a wave yet to come," she said.
Despite the trolling, the British actor is determined not to be driven off social media.
In the past, Cleopatra has been played by white actors like Elizabeth Hurley in the 1963 film Cleopatra and Israeli actor Gal Gadot in the upcoming film of the same name.