Egypt: Amidst ongoing controversy over a Netflix drama-documentary, Egypt’s antiquities ministry has reiterated its stance that Cleopatra had “white skin and Hellenistic characteristics.” This statement affirms the ministry’s position on the depiction of the legendary beauty of antiquity as black in the said show.

The release of “Queen Cleopatra”, a Netflix production produced by Jada Pinkett Smith and starring Adele James, is scheduled for 10th May 2023 on the streaming platform. According to promotional material on the Netflix website, “Queen Cleopatra” is a docudrama that depicts the last pharaoh of Egypt’s struggles to safeguard her legacy, family, and throne. The show is said to feature expert interviews and reenactments.

The upcoming release of “Queen Cleopatra” has sparked a wave of controversy in the North African country, even before its official launch. An online petition has amassed over 40,000 signatures, accusing the creators of “Queen Cleopatra” of distorting historical facts and rewriting history.

In the past, there were demands to ban Netflix for showcasing content deemed offensive to Egypt and its traditional values. In the wake of the controversy surrounding “Queen Cleopatra,” MP Saboura al-Sayyed has once again called on the parliament to take action against the streaming platform.

Cleopatra hailed from the Lagides dynasty, a Macedonian family line that traced its roots back to Ptolemy, a prominent general of Alexander the Great. The Ptolemaic dynasty was established by Ptolemy along the Nile River.

Cleopatra is celebrated as a legendary beauty, although her physical appearance and skin colour remain a topic of speculation. While there have been different interpretations of her looks, a 2009 BBC documentary claimed that Cleopatra had African ancestry, which did not lead to any significant controversy at the time.

WORLD ROUNDUP: Amazon’s profit reaches $3.2bn despite undergoing multiple rounds of layoffs