Zendaya is one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood. Having begun her career as a fashion model, she made her television debut as the character Rocky Blue in the Disney sitcom Shake It Up (formerly known as Dance Dance Chicago). Upon its premiere in late 2010, the show had the second-highest-rated premiere of Disney.
Zendaya made her feature film debut in 2017 when she appeared as Michelle in the superhero movie Spider-Man: Homecoming alongside Tom Holland. Since then, she has starred in numerous great movies and shows. Reportedly, the actress will be starring as the empress Cleopatra in Denis Villeneuve’s movie of the same name. However, fans seem to be unimpressed with the Euphoria actress being cast as Cleopatra.
Zendaya Starring as Cleopatra Is Not Sitting Well With Fans
Cleopatra is one of the historical queens about whom Hollywood has made numerous movies. There have been numerous adaptations of the queen’s life and her rule over the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. It is believed that during her reign, she met some of the most influential leaders- including Julius Caesar.
The casting of actresses for the role of Cleopatra has long been a matter of debate; one that Gal Gadot had been the subject of when it was announced that she was going to portray the matriarch.
Now, with Zendaya rumored to portray the Egyptian queen, fans have once again expressed their displeasure about the casting by commenting on the original post holding the news on X (formerly Twitter):
Did they run out of Greek actresses?
— TERF ISLAND RULES🏴Rational Catholic (@Clairey_Frances) November 9, 2023
What’s hollywoods obsession with casting anyone but Greek people for cleopatra movies?
— azzurro (@azzurrochurro) November 9, 2023
This is Cleopatra. She wasn’t black. pic.twitter.com/cZtDJxiklL
— Noscito Ryan (@Noscito_Ryan) November 9, 2023
Whats their obsession with race swapping every character now
— Screen Wizard 🧙♂️ (@screenwizardz) November 10, 2023
great artist but not the right race for being cleopadra i won’t be watching this nosense, just because she’s famous doesn’t mean she has to be everywhere
— flora (@sempreflorasisi) November 9, 2023
Ummm, Cleopatra was of Greek ancestry.
— Courtney Benson (@courtneyamand13) November 9, 2023
I didn’t know Zendaya is Greek.
— Adrian Alex Poe (@adrianalexpoe) November 9, 2023
In fact, one fan even went into the ultimate serious mode to start beef with fellow Twitter users just to defend the iconic Greek empress.
She’s a real person not a made up story or character. Like casting an Asian woman for a Britney Spears biopic.
— azzurro (@azzurrochurro) November 10, 2023
Earlier this year, Netflix not only faced criticism but also got into legal trouble for casting the Black actress Adele James as Cleopatra in its docudrama Queen Cleopatra. The only actress that fans do not mind seeing as Cleopatra is probably Elizabeth Taylor.
Denis Villeneuve Has Been Planning to Make Cleopatra For A While
Zendaya has been working with Denis Villeneuve for quite some time now as she starred in Villeneuve’s movie Dune and its sequel Dune 2 which is set to be released later this year. Reportedly, this adaptation of Cleopatra might also see her co-star Timothée Chalamet as Octavius and Daniel Craig as Caesar if the two of them accept the offer.
In 2020, while talking to TVA, the Blade Runner 2049 director said:
“I also have a historical film project on the life of Cleopatra. This project is underway and it excites me a lot. I hope I can bring it to the screen before or after filming the second part of Dune.”
The production of this historical film is supposed to begin in 2024 with a screenplay that is said to be written by David Scarpa based on Stacey Sciff’s best-selling book. Hopefully, Villeneuve will make the right choice for the casting.
