Hollywood has a long standing practice of misrepresenting and re-writing history. Whether it is Burt Reynolds playing the role of the renegade Apache Indian Geronimo, or the fraudulent portrayal of the FBI assisting the civil rights movement in Mississippi Burning, the general tendency has been to select white actors to also play characters of other ethnicities … and it’s still true today.
Recently, it has been suggested that 35-year-old actress Angelina Jolie may be cast in the role of Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh and queen of Egypt. Although she has not officially been given or accepted the part, the casting consideration has received severe criticism, and rightly so from Africans in and out of Hollywood and the motion picture industry.
Cleopatra was born near or around 69 B.C. in Alexandria, Egypt and died at age 39 August 12, 30 B.C .Historically it has been written that Cleopatra committed suicide over the foreigner Mark Anthony, but this is not true. She was a smart and shrewd politician who — according to the writings of the time — was also a staunch Egyptian Nationalist. In fact she committed suicide when she lost control of Egypt. Meaning she was born in Africa and died in Africa, making her an African.
Documentation can be found in the writings of John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima and Cheikh Anta Diop. Unfortunately most Hollywood movie executives and directors are not well read in the area of history, as is evidenced by the remarks of the film’s producer, Scott Rudin, who basically asserted in an interview with USA Today, that the part is being developed for the actress since she has ‘the perfect look’.
In the past, Hollywood movies on the Queen of the Nile, including the 1934’s Cleopatra starring Claudette Colbert and the Elizabeth Taylor 1963 version, also went with women with the so-called ‘perfect look.’ Back then they did not give the same opportunities to African Americans as the do today. Yet still they fail to consider Zoe Saldana or Gabrielle Union as viable options. As a result, these images have assisted in the psychological slavery that inflicts many in the form of self-hatred with respect to personal appearance — whether its long and straight hair or light skin.
Sorry Hollywood, but I’m certain there are many women with the so-called features that would really represent and do the African queen justice. The truth remains that Egyptians are Africans, and Africans are not white. –dr. torrence stephens, Ph.D
