Cleopatra VII could have been black, white or brown; take your pick

I have been following the controversy around the Netflix docuseries, Queen Cleopatra, with amusement. For the uninitiated, the documentary series stars Black American actor Adele James as Queen Cleopatra. This is the biggest source of controversy for the series because of her race.

The Egyptian government reportedly went to court to protest against the portrayal of Queen Cleopatra as black. According to sections of Egyptian intelligentsia, Cleopatra was of European origin, and, therefore, not black. Her being cast black in the series was a communal ‘insult’ to the history and collective memory of Egypt.

Variety magazine has reported plans by the government broadcaster in Egypt to produce a high-budget documentary to counter what they are calling falsification of history. In other words, they intend to do a new Queen Cleopatra documentary that stars a white (or did they say light-skinned?) Queen Cleopatra.

As a student of cultures, histories and film, I know it is not news that history can be contested. In this case, besides folklore, paintings and sculpture, for example, the word on the street is that the identity of Cleopatra VII’s mother is not known.

Early Hollywood portrayals of Cleopatra VII also gave us an image of a sexy goddess (which has been disputed in some quarters) based on historical accounts of her attractiveness. With an emphasis on how Julius Caesar, ruler of Rome, fell in love with her head first.

Well, for someone whose life was and continues to be as thoroughly narrativised as Cleopatra VII’s, it is expected that there will be alternative accounts depending on who is telling the story and why.

I understand that there is a real danger in deliberately misrepresenting key events in history. Most recently, historians have discredited The Woman King, a film about the female warriors who protected the kingdom of Dahomey, for its inaccurate representation of history. Critical events in the film do not align with existing facts. So, this is not the first time we are witnessing a debate about facts in cinema.

However, my issue with the controversy around Queen Cleopatra is the staggering focus on her skin colour as a proxy for her origin, especially given that no one has facts about the identity of Cleopatra’s mother.

Also read: Cleopatra was light-skinned, Egypt tells Netflix in row over drama

Let me put this into perspective. Winnie Mandela (the film) stars American actors Jennifer Hudson as Winnie and Terrence Howard as Mandela. I do not think, even by a long shot, that no South African could play these roles in a documentary film of such significance in the history of South Africa.

But as a student of film, I know that the choice of cast, location, and everything in between is a production decision, not a government decision. And while even as an audience I would have preferred Winnie Mandela, for example, to make a cameo appearance in the film, or Leleti Khumalo to play Winnie, I can by no means sue the filmmakers.

Cleopatra represents to me a female legend with sterling military achievements, intellectual abilities, and diplomatic prowess. Until this whole fiasco started, I had never read an article on Cleopatra and wondered what colour she was. The images in my mind are those of a fearless woman, who was also a trailblazer.

Here are my suggestions. There are at least six other renditions of Cleopatra in the film. In most of them, she has white skin. Perhaps people who are offended that Cleopatra was portrayed as black in Queen Cleopatra can consider watching these alternative portrayals.

My second suggestion and I am glad a national broadcaster in Egypt is already considering it, is to make a counter-documentary, and cast Cleopatra exactly as you choose to immortalise her in film. The making of this docuseries does not preclude other films on the subject from being made. So no need to get alarmed. As an audience, we will only get to learn more.

In case my position has not come out clearly, the creative space gives people room to reimagine and recreate. And based on these, the whole controversy and court cases are unnecessary. Make your own Cleopatra.

The writer is the research editor, NMG ([email protected]).