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Top Egyptologist and Minister of Antiquities Criticizes Netflix’s “Cleopatra”
Greek Reporter ^ | April 18, 2023 | Alexander Gale

Posted on 04/18/2023 3:07:19 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Dr. Zahi Hawass, one of the most famous Egyptologists and the former Egyptian Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs, has criticized Netflix for its controversial decision to cast Cleopatra with a black actress in an upcoming docuseries.

The new Netflix series, dubbed “Queen Cleopatra”, which is produced and narrated by the American actress Jada Pinkett Smith, has sparked fierce debate over the misrepresentation of history and representation in TV and media.

Hawass, who is Egypt’s most recognizable archaeologist, decried the decision by Netflix to portray Cleopatra as being of black descent, pointing out that the historical figure “was Greek”.

Zahi Hawass criticizes portrayal of Cleopatra by Netflix

“I announced these days to the media that Cleopatra was not black,” Zahi posted on his Facebook account in response to the controversy surrounding the new Netflix series.

“The film that is coming on Netflix is not accurate and gives wrong information on ancient Egypt,” the famous Egyptologist continued.

Grecian Delight supports Greece

“Cleopatra was Greek and she was similar to the queens and princesses of Macedonia,” wrote Zahi, alluding to the fact that Cleopatra was a member of the Ptolemaic Dynasty who ruled over Egypt between 305 BC and 30 BC.

The Ptolemaic Dynasty was founded by Ptolemy I Soter, a Macedonian Greek who served Alexander the Great as a general, bodyguard, and historian. When Alexander died and his empire was split between his squabbling generals, Ptolemy established his own kingdom in Egypt.

Misrepresentation of Egyptian history

The Netflix series appears to have angered many Egyptians, as well as Greeks and people with a general interest in history who expressed their disappointment online.

A petition started by two Egyptians calling on Netflix to cancel their upcoming Cleopatra documentary garnered well over 60,000 signatures until it was removed by Change.org for “violating community guidelines”.

In his Facebook Zahi further discussed the historicity of the Netflix documentary vis-a-vis ancient Egypt even beyond the period of Ptolemaic rule.

“If we look at the scenes on the Egyptian temples, we can see that the pharaohs are depicted and in front of them were Nubian, Libyan, and Asian captives; the king is always completely different from all of them,” he wrote.

“During the 25th dynasty, the Kingdom of Kush ruled Egypt and those were Kushite pharaohs but they had nothing to do with ancient Egyptian civilization,” he continued.

The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient Nubian civilization of the Nile Valley. Its territory spanned what is today northern Sudan and southern Egypt. At various points throughout their history, the Kushites were both ruled by and ruled over the ancient Egyptians.

Like the Macedonian Greek Ptolemaic Dynasty, they were a foreign people who once ruled over the ancient Egyptians after the foundation of the 25th Dynasty by the Kushite King Piye in the 8th century BC.

Zahi concluded the Facebook post by saying “I am not against black people at all but here I am just listing the evidence that Cleopatra was not black.”


TOPICS: History; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 25thdynasty; black; changedotorg; cleopatra; cleopatravii; donate; egypt; facebook; godsgravesglyphs; greece; greek; jadapinkettsmith; jimknowsdonors; kemet; kush; libyan; macedonia; netflix; nubian; ptolemaicdynasty; queencleopatra; romanempire; sudan; zahihawass
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To: nickcarraway

I started watching the Netflix series “Transatlantic” last night and, naturally, three-quarters of the way through the homo scene started. A guy left his wife in the USA to go to Marseille, France to help refugees escape Europe and his homo lover shows up.

That’s why I continue to rip the best movies from DVDs and BluRays from the 40s to 70s and put them on my home server.


21 posted on 04/18/2023 3:21:29 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (I don’t like to think before I say something...I want to be just as surprised as everyone els)
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To: nickcarraway

Next year they’re going to do a show with a retarded, crippled, Asian woman in a wheel chair playing Superman!


22 posted on 04/18/2023 3:22:02 PM PDT by Highest Authority (DemonRats are pure EVIL)
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To: nickcarraway

I don’t care. If she’s a good actress and sells the role more power to her.


23 posted on 04/18/2023 3:23:10 PM PDT by circlecity
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To: nickcarraway

Fake history for libtards who can’t handle the truth


24 posted on 04/18/2023 3:23:40 PM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
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To: nickcarraway

Remember Anwar Sadat being upset that Garrett Morris played him on SNL?


25 posted on 04/18/2023 3:24:10 PM PDT by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: nickcarraway

quit pussyfooting around

its pedal to the medal time

depict every historical figure as black

and remake every movie ever made with black actors

show a little commitment


26 posted on 04/18/2023 3:24:23 PM PDT by joshua c (to disrupt the system, we must disrupt our lives, cut the cable tv)
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To: nickcarraway

Next up: “The Jackson 5 Story”, starring the Osmond Brothers.


27 posted on 04/18/2023 3:24:37 PM PDT by fidelis (👈 Under no obligation to respond to rude, ignorant, abusive, bellicose, and obnoxious posts.)
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To: nickcarraway
Cleopatra was Greek. That is a fact. Greeks dominated Egypt once upon a time. She was not a Negress.

28 posted on 04/18/2023 3:25:21 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: MV=PY

The little mermaid isn’t a real historical personage.


29 posted on 04/18/2023 3:26:39 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: No name given
She probably looked like an Eskimo.

30 posted on 04/18/2023 3:28:25 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: nickcarraway
This "BLACK CLEOPATRA" crap goes back to the 1980s-'90s and Prof Leonard Jeffries , who claimed that Cleopatra was black, that blacks had "invented" geometry, but that whites had "STOLEN" it, etc. and as a result was booted from his position as "Chair of BLACK STUDIES" at the CCNY system.

He is the uncle of the Dem Minority Leader of the House, who is also an idiot!

Rewriting factual history and claiming that FACTUAL history is all lies helps nobody!

And none of the Ptolemaic rulers were something other than white!

The book, NOT OUT OF AFRICA disproves, handily, all of the false black garbage spewed by black racists.

31 posted on 04/18/2023 3:28:51 PM PDT by nopardons
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To: nickcarraway

I’m waiting for the portrayal of Neil Armstrong as a negro. Will Smith?


32 posted on 04/18/2023 3:30:44 PM PDT by PhiloBedo (You gotta roll with the punches, and get with what's real.)
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To: nickcarraway

Maybe Jada should have slept with them all?
$@rc


33 posted on 04/18/2023 3:33:52 PM PDT by South Dakota (Patriotism is the new terrorism )
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To: nickcarraway

She was so! Just ask my granddaughter!

(It was an attempt at humor.)


34 posted on 04/18/2023 3:34:35 PM PDT by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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To: No name given

If she was completely descended from Macedonian royalty then she was likely fsir skinned. If there was intermarriage then you would be correct. Whichever, she wasn’t black.


35 posted on 04/18/2023 3:35:32 PM PDT by xkaydet65
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To: mosaicwolf

Just another reason to boycott!


36 posted on 04/18/2023 3:36:27 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as.)
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To: nickcarraway
Macedonian women. Cleopatra's peeps. She wasn't from the 'hood


37 posted on 04/18/2023 3:38:03 PM PDT by Pelham (Joe Biden, Brain of the American Left)
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To: nickcarraway

Another Netflix rancid, steamming log drop into the white porcelain bowl of woke. Better get a plunger for this one.


38 posted on 04/18/2023 3:40:40 PM PDT by Noumenon (You're not voting your way out of this. KTF)
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To: nickcarraway
"The little mermaid isn't a real historical personage."

Ahh but she is. The Little Mermaid is based on Danish folklore and recorded
in Hans Christian Andersen's story of the same name. There is even a statue
honoring her. She guards the harbor in Copenhagen, Denmark. Yes, she is personage
of Danish-European folklore and culture. She has NOTHING to do with Africa. Nada.


39 posted on 04/18/2023 3:43:33 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: nickcarraway

I DUMPED NETJUNK WHEN THEY HIRED THE OBAMMIES


40 posted on 04/18/2023 3:45:11 PM PDT by Muhammy
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