Gal Gadot says her upcoming film will change the perception of Cleopatra: 'She was more than a seductor'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gal Gadot is set to change the general perception of Queen Cleopatra! The ‘Wonder Woman,’ in her recent interview, talked about her upcoming movie. "You know, if 'Wonder Woman' is the imaginary strong female leader, Cleopatra’s actually the real one," the star said. "That’s a perfect example of a story that I wanted to tell because I started reading different books about Cleopatra, and I said, wow, that’s fascinating. All I ever saw in regards to Cleopatra from film was that she was this seductive woman who had an affair with Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony," adds the 38-year-old.
Gadot, who plays Cleopatra, told Vogue Hong Kong that the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt and a descendant of Ptolemy was ‘so ahead of her time.’ "Egypt and what Egypt was back then was still futuristic to where we are today. I can’t say much. But to me, I’m so passionate to tell her story and to bring justice to this character and her legacy and celebrate her and her legacy," she shared. "We have a beautiful script, and I cannot wait to share this story with the world and change the narrative of Cleopatra simply being a seductor."
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'We were looking for a Macedonian actress, but...'
The movie which is yet to hit the production stage is something that’s been doing the rounds for some time. Gadot in a January 2022 interview with InStyle said, "I can't reveal a lot, but I can tell you that we're going to celebrate the Cleopatra story. We're going to show not just how sexy and appealing she was, but how strategic and smart, and how much impact she had and still has on the world we're living in today." The ‘Red Notice’ actress further said, "I've watched all the Cleopatra movies throughout history." She added, "but I feel like we're telling the story the world needs to hear now," reports People.
The project also had to face its share of criticism after being accused of ‘whitewashing.’ According to the critics, an African or Arab actress should have landed the iconic role of an ancient Egyptian queen. "First of all if you want to be true to the facts then Cleopatra was Macedonian. We were looking for a Macedonian actress that could fit Cleopatra. She wasn't there, and I was very passionate about Cleopatra," Gadot defended her decision in an interview with BBC Arab.
'I want to celebrate the legacy of Cleopatra'
Gadot, who is also co-producing along with her husband Jaron Varsano, hit back at the critics. "I have friends from across the globe, whether they're Muslims or Christian or Catholic or atheist or Buddhist, or Jewish of course... People are people, and with me I want to celebrate the legacy of Cleopatra and honour this amazing historic icon that I admire so much," she said.