Netflix's awful take on Cleopatra and the director's horrible response

[@Goldenevil91]

There isn't more shitty response to "Hey you are misrepresenting history of my country" than "No no I am making it better for you".

[@patdaley9098]

Is that in the docudrama someplace? Or is that in an article somewhere else?

[@tyranitararmaldo]

Welcome to the American mindset :/

[@Goldenevil91]

@@tyranitararmaldo I think that type of entitlement isn't limited just to ppl in America. We just get to see it more from the 'cos they are putting it on display so much with internet being so Americanized.

[@mortache]

Its just white supremacy with a black face lol. Sadly such bigotry is prevalent in humans of every race, which is why we must form a culture that rises above these tribalism and elitism

[@Hot_Grill43]

That would be like making a documentary about WW2 except Hitler got accepted into art school

[@KingNazaru]

As a black person, a fan of ancient historical docuseries, and a fan of Egyptian mythology, I find this series insulting. Update: Thanks for giving me over 9000 likes. I wasn’t expecting to get anywhere close to this.

[@Cruddy129]

That says a lot when even their main target audience of this show finds it insulting Just shows how delusional and arrogant they are

[@bobloblaw6311]

Right!? Like, there's no one else of historical substance who is black to make a documentary about? How about the Kandake of Meroe just south of Egypt? A matrilineal society where women actually were warrior queens! The director and Jada Pinkett Smith are doing a lot more damage than good with this super atrociously dumb "documentary" fan fiction.

[@Master-Works]

I find the exsistence of Netflix Insulting. 9/10 Netflix shows sucks

[@jeffreygao3956]

@@Master-Works More like 1/10 sucks. I'm no pessimist.

[@kora4185]

@@bobloblaw6311 they could’ve done a baaaaaadass docu-series about the Kush. But that’s how little respect they have for people in general. They’re greedy and lazy so as long as the drama brings them attention and money, they good. Screw human history, screw science, screw quality entertainment, they just don’t care

[@tomjackson4021]

This racial comments surrounding this show has been reminding me of the “controversy” of Night at the Museum. A lot of online drama went on about how a “white” guy was cast to play the Pharaoh. The guy was Rami Malek… who is Egyptian.

[@misslangleysoryuisiconic]

They portrayed Rami Malek very well though

[@A_foranonymous]

That's hilarious omg

[@shadowdragon7347]

Bro that reminds me of the controversy going on right now with the live action lilo and stitch movie... there are people who are mad the HAWAIIAN ACTOR doesnt look like their ANIMATED COUNTERPART because the skin tone doesn't match up. Bruh they are both HAWAIIAN so why the hell does it matter? 😂 When the ethnicity actually matches up i gotta question why people focus so muchon skin color.

[@73NSH1]

@@shadowdragon7347 Maybe bc looks are matter more than ethnicity?

[@shadowdragon7347]

@_igger Brother, it is impossible to look like the characters from Lilo and Stitch. You have a real human from the area it takes place in, and that's as close as you're probably gonna get. The reason animation is so great is because you can make the characters look like anything and manipulate their faces in ways real people could never... just look at the roundness of their faces, noses, the shape of their eyes... it works in animation but if you made them photorealistic you'd probably scream in horror😅 TLDR: ya cant make a real person mimic an animated character, its impossible. So get sombody of the same ethnicity and body type because its as close as youre getting!🤣

[@TheTrytix]

Director: "Cleopatra was black because this woman's grandma said so." Egyptian people: "Cleopatra lived in Egypt but her origin was Greek!" Director: "LOL, why would YOU say that? I thought you were Egyptian?" Egyptian people: "What? No, we ARE Egyptian, but unlike you, we actually respect historic evidence." I'd imagine the conversation went on a bit like that.

[@Creterampage]

It’s like if they made Queen Victoria an Indian woman

[@daisyfish-fn4js]

It's more like I'm an arrogant American and assumes the world views themselves through my own narcisstic self obsessed ideological lens. Nope. Most of the rest of the world actually can take stock of reality and doesn't need ro "see themselves" to have honour and respect for history.

[@kitkatsinAlaska]

​@@Creterampageno no trust me mi abuela india motilona said that queen Victoria was Indian while on crack frfr😊😊😊

[@davidturner1595]

​@@kitkatsinAlaskastupid as this whole documentary is, I think the "while on crack" thing is a bit much.

[@anthonyfox585]

​@@kitkatsinAlaskaI love you so much

[@Whitby_Abbeys_Ghost]

Director: "I've asked them (Egyptians) to see themselves as Africans..." Egyptians: "Bitch, we KNOW what continent we're on!"

[@mirbear72]

Hahaha literally. We see ourselves as Africans. YOU don’t see us as Africans 👀👀

[@VenathTehN3RD]

The sheer hubris in that statement is astounding.

[@missnanywithahmed5192]

@@mirbear72 نحن مزيج العالم نحن جغرافيا وسط العالم اسيوى افريقى اوربي = مصر نحن نقع فى قلب العالم .. نحن نقع بين ثلاث قارات مصر ام الدنيا امامنا اوربا بجانبنا اسيا و يوجد مساحه من مصر اسيويه لست فقط فى قارة افريقيا حضارة عظيمه وتاريخ كبير نحن لسنا احد نحن فقط مصريين ومرحبا بكل انسان يود ان يكون مصري ما عسانا ان نفعل 😞 لا تعليق

[@missnanywithahmed5192]

هل كل السود مصريين امر لا يعقل اذا السود كلهم مصريين اذا من هم الافارقة ؟ من اصحاب القبائل و اصحاب الغابات هناك نحن ؟؟ رسالة للافارقة لديكم حضارات رائعة فى وسط افريقيا وجنوبها اهتموا بها اهتموا لماذ لا تبنوا اهرامات هناك اليست فكرة رائعة 😽

[@mirbear72]

@@missnanywithahmed5192 صح. الموقع بس افريقيه. مصر المصريين.

[@delano.scodeller]

Netflix was thinking that polarizing the audience is better for business instead of making somethig the audience really wants

[@darcidious99]

I wouldn't be surprised if the directors originally did think she was black just cause she's affiliated with Egypt, in nothing but a harmless mistake. But then Hollywood had to be Hollywood and promote unnecessary diversity over Likely historical accuracy, which led to the shitshow that it's become.

[@Olimar92]

They Okayed Cuties. This really isn't a surprise.

[@ianyoder2537]

They cancelled Inside Job. At this point I'm beginning to think they're allergic to good decisions.

[@jeffreygao3956]

@@ianyoder2537 I don't even know what that is.

[@rogueone5711]

They okayed cuties, canceled inside job, haven’t canceled bigmouth, canceled wings of fire, drove off GERALT OF RIVIA!!, or lose most of the good content worth watching, and what do we get in exchange… this and Pinocchio by del toro and that’s it… it’s disgusting how these people can make so many terrible decisions and not undergo punishment or setback in any way shape or form. Shows like hellava boss and hazbin hotel have plenty of strong characters and are beloved by many people and the people who work on it, probably don’t even get paid because it’s basically a group of friends, they make quality for nothing, Netflix has billions and work on these massive projects to push messages to seek politically correct and make us suffer. Sorry for the trade. Charon can ferry me off to the afterlife now cause all these new woke revisionist projects make me want to die

[@ajdez8871]

The fact that Drunk History, a comedy show where famous comedians and personalities had to discuss historical figures while highly intoxicated, is 100% more accurate than a Netflix "documentary"

[@hawkticus_history_corner]

And if they're wrong, at least they have a valid excuse. They were very drunk.

[@KurapikaStan]

@@hawkticus_history_corner same for the Netflix writers

[@stellastella99]

​@@hawkticus_history_corner yup and it's not framed as being 100% accurate either, we all know they're drunk and not telling a fully accurate story, so we don't expect every detail to be spot on

[@tianzi49]

haha, compared to Jesus depicted as a white person throughout the entirety of Christian history after Emperor Constantine coopted Christianity as the national religion, and all the horrific injustices, land thefts and genocides committed in the name of spreading the Gospel, as an example 'Manifest Destiny'. you are doing all that 'huffin-n-puffing' over a make-believe Hollywood story as that was the gravest injustice - about a female whose greatest fame is sleeping w/ invading Roman generals. what a conquest huh, as if nookie is exclusive to her only. Let me ask, if Jesus is white, what about his father/God? Is he white too ... just a thought!

[@daanvanderplas4211]

@@KurapikaStan Nice

[@CuidightheachODuinn]

My grandmother said my great uncle was a warlock and while arrested "broke out" of his jail cell using a deck of cards. Grandmothers say crazy shit, lady.

[@pappanalab]

Hmm your great uncle wouldn’t happen to be possessed by the spirit of a nameless pharaoh trapped in puzzle, right? Did he preach about the heart of the cards? Was his favorite duel monster dark magician?!

[@CuidightheachODuinn]

@@pappanalab Lmao. I never met him, he died before I was born. From what I've been told he was shot multiple times but the thing that killed him was a heart attack. Another story of him breaking out of a mental hospital, going to town, stealing a tractor, and driving back. I've heard copious weird ass stories about him from everyone on my dad's side of the family, basically. It really bothers me now that I used to use Yu-Gi-Oh references for my passwords lmao

[@mancave10369]

“They say insane sh** all the time! How was I supposed to know this one was true?” -Sir Pentious, _Hazbin Hotel_

[@mancave10369]

“They say insane sh** all the time! How was I supposed to know this one was true?” -Sir Pentious, _Hazbin Hotel_

[@kanishkpandey6068]

@@pappanalabdid he have a blue eyes white dragon

[@stevenpike7857]

Imagine, a documentary about Harriet Tubman and the director defends making her Asian, "People are saying that Harriet Tubman was Black, why can't she be Asian?" BECAUSE SHE WASN'T

[@kentinson1670]

I'm fairly convinced that Hollywood would definitely do that. I myself am looking forward when they cast Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Martin Luther King and Jimmy O. Yang as Malcolm X

[@justin2308]

@@kentinson1670 Jimmy O. Yang as Malcolm X? Oh boy, I feel like THAT casting decision would definitely cause an uproar…

[@projectfangirl]

Exactly. It's the same argument with Anne Boleyn too. Like Cleopatra was the Netflix series, Anne Boleyn, who EVERYONE knows is white, was played by a black woman and people were PISSED! Cleopatra had white features and descended from Greece yet, these woke "activists" don't care about what these REAL people looked like in reality.

[@patdaley9098]

Who is saying Cleopatra was black? It's not Netflix.

[@coling3957]

Hollywood claims to be "color blind" - but only in one direction.... and its painfully obvious.. their activists wont be happy until every Hollywood movie is 100% black and they can win all their now worthless oscars.

[@evagarcia865]

Director: “I’ve asked Egyptians to see themselves as Africans…” where the fuck do you think egypt is. in australia?

[@FatWhiskyDrinkingGuy]

Ask an American.... could be funny....

[@thejaiganticbridge5479]

Well, we do have a few pyramids, might as well

[@fwwaller]

the irony here is that in trying so hard to be anti racist they actually said something insanely racist, assuming that being african means being black, despite the numerous other races that live there.

[@dusky5535]

@@FatWhiskyDrinkingGuy That emote is powerful

[@PhattyBolger]

Americans, especially black Americans, tend to have a very Afrocentrist view that African = black. It's the same reason people cry racism when Elon Musk gets called an "African American" even though he literally is.

[@samuelazzaro]

The sad part is that their are tons of black queens throughout history they could have discussed.........and they went with this because NAME RECOGNITION.

[@Sephiroth144]

Seriously, where's my Nzinga docuseries...?

[@Jekyllhyde360]

Queen Amanirenas was a kushite who spanked Rome, cut off and buried the head of Augustus’s bronze statue beneath the steps of a temple so she could step on Rome every time she visited the temple. Woman was a BAMF and no one knows about her!

[@FelisImpurrator]

I've only heard a little about those queens in particular, but that small amount already made me want to learn more. Sucks that they're just not all that interested in putting in effort...

[@PureMaddnessOne]

Heck if they wanted a baddass black queen that have WON against the Romans (even embarressed them), that is sorta Egyptian, they could've taken Queen Amanirenas from Kush (at the time wasn't part of Egypt, but is part of it current days).

[@sherlocksmuuug6692]

Literally Egypt's Southern neighbour, Kush, was ruled by a queen during this exact period of time. Amanirenas, who was Qore and Kandake of Kush and who halted Roman southward expansion under Augustus after they had annexed Egypt. The Kushites (Nubians) were undeniably black and actually once ruled Egypt 500 years before that as the 25th dynasty. As a consequence there had been a lot of cultural exchange between the two societies for a long time. And because of that there were a lot of similarities in architecture, dress etc. It's an extremly fascinating civillization that barely gets any attention in "mainstream" pop-history because people only learn about Egypt. The makers of the docudrama had literally everything they could ask for *right there* but nooooo, Kush doesn't have the same name recognition to the average couch potato as Egypt. So instead of a documentary about Amanirenas, they are just gonna do the thousandth piece about Cleopatra and just portray her as black to stand out from the crowd.

[@Creterampage]

Out of all the African queens they could’ve chosen: -Hatshepsut -Nefertiti -Amanirenas -Taytu Betul -Nandi of the Zulus -Amina of Zaria -Queen of Sheba They chose who? Cleopatra, who wasn’t even African.

[@nothing7666]

Jada smith sat there chosen which queen and was like alright time yo offend the Egyptians and greeks because nobody cares about the mediterranean since they ain't black nobody will care this is really disturbing and disgusting for me as a greek

[@nothing7666]

Cleopatra even had a greek name why tf would a back in the day black queen have a greek name😭

[@DavidGonzalez-tv2lf]

She was indeed African, since she was born and raised in that continent. Under your claim literally no white or half blood in America you'd been called American. African is a geographical denomination, not a racial or ethnic one

[@bagggers9796]

​@@DavidGonzalez-tv2lf That's true, which is exactly why what the director said was so insulting

[@ElizabethMcCormick-s2n]

Exactly! Her family was from Macedonia!

[@IAmLordKoros]

Y'all remember that time Animal Planet made a documentary about mermaids with no disclaimers claiming it to be parody? I feel like this is what Netflix is doing. They don't care if it's factual or not, they just care about viewership.

[@alexanderchippel]

That wasn't even a parody. They claimed it was after the fact to cover their ass.

[@zionleach3001]

There are people who still think it's true. Like grown adults, I was told I'm "beyond ignorant" cause the Cannibal in the jungle is also fake. These are the same people's who think the Megalodon is still alive. 🤦

[@zionleach3001]

​@@alexanderchippel exactly.

[@samuelazzaro]

Well yeah but that was meant to be a disguised PSA on sonar weapons testing to help protect whales. This is just dumb.

[@alexanderchippel]

@@zionleach3001 What's funny about the megalodon thing is that there are undoubtedly more interesting, and certainly more terrifying creatures in the ocean that are actually alive right now.

[@Drip_Vader]

As an Egyptian the part that genuinely made me angry wasn't the lying about our history or the echochamber behavior as you called it but the implication that she knows what's best for us what we should and shouldn't be happy about "Why are you complaining you're Egyptian" She's basically telling all Egyptians that they should be happy about being generalized and misrepresented

[@Alexander59059]

She doesn’t actually care about what’s best, she just cares about serving her savior complex

[@JingYuans_sparrow]

Those words were honestly disgusting. Solidarity from your neighbour 💛 As an Italian I can’t count the number of black Americans telling me I’m black because I’m Italian and I should just accept it (I’m a mozzarella with blue eyes). They have never even been to Italy wtf. I know what it means do be generalised and misrepresented by American’s media for their political purposes. It’s so infuriating. As we are seeing, they are already paying for their arrogance 🙏🏻

[@sarrhodes8277]

@@JingYuans_sparrow I don't understand that at all. I would categorise people from Latin countries in the south as Mediterranean in race - because they reflect the climate they live in just as we whites, up here in our miserable, rainy, freezing 9-month winters - also do. Peoples' skins are, frankly, designed for the respective weather patterns of their nations, dull though that fact is.

[@JingYuans_sparrow]

@@sarrhodes8277 Oh my- are you american? I beg you to go look at some Italian Reinassance art and come back telling me we are not white again. Or just come to Italy and use your ocular organs. Just look at our prime minister and come say it again to my freckled blue-eyed sun-burnt face how I’m not white. Federico Barbarossa, roman emperor, was called like this because he was a redhead. We were white even before vikings invasions. And southern italians are even paler than us northerners so your statement about the climate is just wrong. Omg y’all just can’t help to categorise everything and trace lines right? Well sometimes it’s not possible to trace lines. Italy was the center of so many invasions and migrations throughout history so of course you’re gonna find many shades and of course we have immigration too? Please go travel more.

[@evanevanf4033]

Did ancient Egyptian men really have the high cheekbones and square jawlines as they are portrayed as having in the Story of the World books?

[@Anaaewp]

I think the most offensive part is that some people decided that African = black and if you disagree then you're racist. Africa is HUGE and diverse, saying the whole continent is homogenous is the actual racist thing. Egyptian people are African regardless of their skin color. Also, there were actual black Egyptian queens, why don't they make a docu series about them?

[@mrlofi333]

Its crazy hows there so much information out there on why the skin tone would be darker. But my biggest thoery is yall only have seen black people as slaves and y'all want it to stay that way...

[@Anaaewp]

@@mrlofi333 Cleopatra's??? He family was greek and incestuous. She was the first of her family to be born in Egypt. They married with each other to keep power in the family, to the point that she only had 6 great-great-grandparents instead of 16. She married he own brother too. How on earth would she be black?

[@thelittleredhairedgirlfrom6527]

@@mrlofi333 I’m black. There’s no evidence that Cleopatra was black. Why not make a Queen Nginga documentary instead?

[@dan_mer]

99% of Americans think Africa is a village. You want proof. Just watch American movies that take place in Africa. A person flies to Africa and immediately meets the love interest who left a couple of years ago. That is because they think Africa is a village surrounded by a jungle with an airport nearby. That is it.

[@Ashbrash1998]

​@@mrlofi333You know there are skin color variations? We have Jewish and Egyptian people and they all have varying degrees of melanin.

[@thebob356]

My dad is an Egyptian, and when he saw this show pop up on Netflix, the only thing he did was laugh hysterically for ten minutes straight

[@SavouryGalette]

Your dad is a winner.

[@jeffreygao3956]

Good because the alternative is him getting so offended he destroys the TV.

[@kanhaibhatt913]

"I don't care what they teach you in school, Cleopatra was black." Professional Historian, folks.

[@darrellpowell6042]

When Dr Zahi Hawass, the WORLD's TOP Egyptian archaeologist says the show is pure BS, then you know its NOT worth watching. Hawass commented on the movie, which sparked public criticism in Egypt for portraying the Ptolemaic Queen as black-skinned, saying: “This is completely fake.Cleopatra was Greek, meaning that she was blonde, not black.” Hawass added that in recent years a trend emerged, led by black Americans and blacks in South America, claiming that the Egyptian civilization is of black origin. He stressed that such claims were completely false. The black civilization has no connection with the Egyptian civilization, Hawass said, pointing out that the black civilization did not rule Egypt except in the twenty-fifth dynasty during the era of the Kingdom of Kush, i.e. at the end of the ancient Egyptian civilization. Here endeth the lesson. Netflix got this wrong. Now IF they had Dr Zahi Hawass, in the show saying she was black, people would have watched it. Side note Cleopatra's tomb has never been discovered.

[@patdaley9098]

@@darrellpowell6042 Dr. Hawass said this before the movie was released, so he did not actually watch the docudrama. All he saw was a 2 min trailer.

[@Nystariii]

I said this elsewhere, but goddamn, could you imagine if I told my grandkids, "Listen, I don't care what they tell you in school, but MLK was 100% white and don't let them tell you otherwise", wtf would happen to me? I'd be called racist, told to educate and better myself, and stay in my lane. And that'd be correct.

[@VandalAudi]

@@patdaley9098 oh the trailer that included "I don't care what they taught you at school, Cleopatra was black" ? Unless they that notion like flat earth theory in the actual movie, then it is definitely pushing an agenda instead of facts and it's not wotht the watch.

[@AiSyYoo]

These activists are ridiculous as Ffffffffuccccc. What's going on in their head? I dunno, here's my guess. 1) Let's trick the black people into thinking we're lifting them up by turning an iconic, very real, historical, nonfictional, nonblack woman into a black person. Show them we're so WOKE by making them feel that girl power. 2) Cleopatra's actual race doesn't matter. How dare those white people get any reference in our show. No No No. We're on the side of the black people. That's how woke we are. White are bad! Eww to these whites. 3) Let's make children and impressionable people's believe that this is historically accurate! We're professionals after all! Who cares about facts!? Black people deserve this, cos they don't have a powerful woman figure at all Hurrrr Durrr 4) Anyone who disagrees with what we're doing is racist! How dare they put black people down! We're their hero, we'll make up lies to make the black people have an interesting history!! Fccck Netflix

[@clankymocha]

As an egyptian, I'm not a fan of depicting us as all black like this, we are - and always have been - much more diverse than that, you're pretty much about as likely to meet a paler skinned egyptian as you are to meet one with skin as dark as the actress here. in this specific instance, the show doesn't even take place in the south where darker skinned people are more common, it takes place in Alexandria... which is on the mediterranean sea and the vast majority of the people there look.. well, mediterranean To have everyone there look black feels grossly inaccurate to me. needless to say, though, your response to the director's comments were nothing short of spectacular.

[@misslangleysoryuisiconic]

Bro.. that scenario was same as Talim where she should portray Talim as a dark skinned Filipina but there’s a source according to that video game series where Talim has light-tan skin and she might be living either in Panay or in Bisaya

[@Uhoh11111]

The ones in the south aren't even ethnically egyptian, they are black cause of intermixed with Sudanese nubians over the ages, there are northern Governorates like Sharqia, which have 98% of their people to be genetically identical to the mummies found in the ancient egyptian tombs and temples, guess what their race is? White. They're known throughout Egypt as the whitest state in the entire nation. Which shows they are indeed correct, we aren't as white as we were and we intermixed too much with Sub-Saharans that we now majority look brown and mixed.

[@kahmalmason5919]

Maybe they used the wrong Cleopatra because there was more than one even in that particular bloodline 🤔

[@denkerbosu3551]

@@kahmalmason5919 No man, they mean specifically _the_ Cleopatra. The one from a greek dynasty. This is not them getting history wrong, this is them trying to misrepresent it.

[@kahmalmason5919]

@@denkerbosu3551 just playing devils advocate. My ancestry isn't Egyptian great culture and all. But Cleo isn't even the most interesting queen on the continent or that region.(IMO) The people who study this aren't even sure who was the woman's mother was. So she could had been mixed at best. Egypt was a hub of the ancient world. I don't really like watching stuff about ancient Egypt. Because most of them treat Egypt like its separate from Africa.

[@eoinreen8808]

Her response to people saying Cleopatra was greek was like if someone thought Saint Patrick was irish, and i (as a irish person) corrected them saying he's welsh and they just gave me a look of disgust and said "why would you bring that up? You're supposed to be Irish! What's wrong with you?" Her responses are mind boggling

[@434444334]

That was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever read she saying that was just wrong And yeah people wanna think what they wanna think

[@patdaley9098]

But that isn't in the docudrama, is it?

[@margaretbush]

How to justify racism without being racist- liberal thinking

[@keiraaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

@@patdaley9098 You’re right, it’s not. Does that mean it’s not true that she literally did exactly the same thing but to Egyptian people?

[@JessesanMan]

Good point and today I learned ol' Patrick was Welsh

[@An.RetsAthens]

She was Greek Macedonian, she spoke 8to 9 languages.. One of the fun facts were the long baths she had in donkey milk (they even say roman royal women copied her in Rome) I m Greek, we still have a humoristic saying if you spend to much time in the bathroom, "Come on who are you Cleopatra?" 😊

[@borisguy1986]

That’s a funny phrase haha.

[@thepastmaster5643]

I hope you have one that's similar to "I'll get the donkey milk."

[@toxicneamain]

As a Greek, I confirm that we do use that phrase for both men and women equally.

[@Mrityormokshiya]

I subscribed immediately after you expressed how disgusting it was for director Gahravi to imply that one "race" should stick to their own. As a Hindu, I'm immensely interested in ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, Persia, Japan, Norse, Celtic peoples, Native Americans and so much more and I'd hate it if anyone told me that I couldn't be interested in talking about other cultures

[@dg4545]

Its called segregation.

[@Elmerherrera89]

I did too… 🎉

[@Rex55161]

Bruh facts, you've made the right choice honestly, been here for a while and he's cool.

[@sarrhodes8277]

Quite right. The world is an interesting place and as much as anything else it's our differences as well as those things that link us, that makes the world exciting and inspiring. What is depressing is to be crushed by dogma, the demands of a particular and fashionable identity political attitude, and the messing with history and trying to force opinions onto others. Disagreements fine, debates, fine - crushing and cancellation of other peoples' voices - wrong.

[@shinybreloom4027]

let all international peoples maintain their cultures while sharing it: and oppose those horrendously decadent, separatist-supremacist, imperialistic and colonialist attitudes!

[@vladtheimpaler9577]

It's funny how the director talks like she's doing a favor to egyptians by changing history and "improving" the image of a historic figure and that they should be greatful about it.

[@autisticscreechling4950]

That's Hollywood's attitude towards blackwashing iconic white characters in film. "You should be happy, grateful, elated to have a race-swapped black character in these films because it's either this or nothing."

[@patdaley9098]

Was that in an article or interview somewhere.? I don't think the director says anything in the docudrama.

[@virginputinmonkey9457]

@@patdaley9098 article.

[@jacobmcmillan6787]

Even funnier that Egypt is suing her and Netflix

[@phoenixflambe3319]

​@@autisticscreechling4950whatever happened to using original characters with their original non-White race?

[@mudfishnick9768]

It was bad enough that Cleopatra was seen as little more than a Femme Fatale, but now this? The lady can never catch a break in media portrayal, can she?

[@michaelkeha]

To be fair her feminine charms the talent(wasn't her only talent) that managed to cause the greatest lasting impact on the world around her it's like Smokin Joe Fraizer everyone knows him as one of the greatest boxers to ever lace up a pair of gloves most people don't know the fact he was actually a very talented singer and had a band of his own

[@ketsuekikumori9145]

In a similar vain, I recently learned about Marilyn Monroe's civil rights advocacy and her push pack against always having to portray the dumb, blonde eye candy in every role she played. And of course that all got pushed down to, at best, a footnote of her life, and being shrouded as ONLY the dumb, blonde eye candy in modern depictions of her. Hence the recent revelation for me.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

I always saw her as a woman who found some power in something women were supposed to feel ashamed about, no so much a Femme Fatale. She was’t out to kill her lovers.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

​@@ketsuekikumori9145 She was actually a genuinely intelligent (not in the “everyone’s intelligent in their own way” intelligent, but actually) bookwork who prefered to be at home on her bed with a book instead of out partying and acting like a sexy symbol.

[@stickmaster400]

She has been depicted nearly every way but rarely an intellectual greek/Egyptian icon who also happened to choose her own death (one afternoon of studying can safely conclude most rulers would rather die to diseases, injuries, and overthrowers, than to purposely end themselves

[@SavouryGalette]

"Why shouldn't Cleopatra be black?" The same reason Rosa Parks shouldn't be played by Johnny Depp?

[@Tucker_Carper]

Pirates of the back of the bus

[@medinamojo]

@@Tucker_Carpernahh that’s wild 💀

[@SebasTian58323]

Now wait a minute, are you saying a black woman can't be played by a white man?

[@markermarque9843]

He is captain of the BLACK Pearl, though... 😂😂

[@WarFoxThunder]

​@@Tucker_Carper💀💀💀💀

[@mariamfarrag5357]

Thank you so much. As an Egyptian I had the strangest experience online over the past days, was accused of being racist, even though I'm strongly against racism, and have family members with dark skin, and was told that I'm not Egyptian, despite that my grandfathers are from Upper Egypt. Not going to lie, some people's comments broke my heart. But people like you and the awareness you create, makes me feel hopeful and at peace. Thanks again, really appreciate your effort. Love from Egypt

[@xblade149]

Yeah after the whole Jeffery Damur crime drama series I don't trust Netflix at all when comes to history or documentaries. As a black man from America, I'm sorry that this happened.

[@mariamfarrag5357]

@@xblade149 Thank you for your kind words 🙏🙏 You are absolutely right.

[@Vagabond_inc]

God damn, our species may be headed to a point of no return in terms of stupidity Also, sorry that you had to experience that

[@dawnmana5876]

People are stupid. Remember when they got in an uproar because they thought that the guy who played the Pharaoh in Night at the Museum was white, but the guy was an Egyptian? Western education is a failure.

[@mariamfarrag5357]

@arianna Thank you 🙏

[@EndRift]

The whole language they’re using around it, “why does she have to be white?” It’s like they’re talking about a fictional character. Not a real person who really lived and really did stuff. And the grandma comment, that’s such a “you wouldn’t call my grandma a liar, would you?”. Look I get it, black role models were really hard to find in the past, older generations used lies like this to empower themselves. But this is 2023, and there’s way more information now about people who were actually black and did really cool things.

[@mrt1880]

Yeah why not make movies about actual important black characters like the richest man in history or The Warriors that he talked about in the video or all of the men and women that fought for independence of their countries but no we will take someone else's history and painted as ours because we don't want our history we want their history

[@sock2828]

It's especially weird considering the person they're trying to claim is a black roll model was essentially a foreign colonizer of Africa.

[@ExeErdna]

@@mrt1880 They're men that's the problem there's an anti-men wave popping back up

[@Icetea-2000]

@@sock2828 But it was a WOMAN, she wasn’t part of "THE PATRIARCHY"(^TM), therefore she din' do nuffin wrong

[@Churros_are_Overrated]

@@Icetea-2000DID YOU SAY BLACK WOMAN IN 2023!?✊✊✊✊✊GO GIRL DONT LISTEN TO THE TRASH WHITES AROUND YOU QUEEN👑👑👑👑

[@LizRealGirlBeauty]

There is nothing empowering about pandering.

[@DynamiteRaven]

I wish I had more thumbs to give this comment.

[@artstation707]

I'm shocked by the level of absolute delusion almost every single commentator displays. Try not to see the world the way it is today. Understand. There were fewer people back then, and populations did not look as they do now. Also, try again to understand! If two individuals sired the human race, through a natural process which involved the precise dividing of cells in order to reproduce, then somewhere along the way, the bloodline was contaminated. This is basic logic. Most people understand this. You've been fed a continuous diet of falsehoods for your whole life. Simply go outside and look at people. Understand that everything you've been told to explain away what you see, is a lie. It might be upsetting - the realization of who or what you are or represent, but at least it's a realization. The entire world at one point was black. Strictly speaking, it really wasn't that long ago. I hope this helps.

[@smthpy]

@@DynamiteRaven Grow some! haha

[@kristophersurma6459]

I think what pisses me off the most about this casting, is the fact that Black people DO have a great and diverse history of their own. And this recast very much implies that they don’t. It implies that they feel the need to steal other people’s histories in order to feel like they actually have a history.

[@alaly1027]

Um... black Africans still live in Egypt. And always have. And some black American ppl (like me) have North African ancestry. I actually thought the DNA tests were wrong bc I'm not "supposed" to have any of this DNA, but after the third one I figured they must be seeing something😆. Apparently my paternal line does come from one of the pharoahs. Not surprising really; pharaohs banged a lot. My parents did the DNA tests too, and dad has the north African. So anyway it's an inaccurate generalization that the history of ancient Egypt is not the history of black skinned Africans or black ppl at all. Whenever ppl do anything historical with ancient Egypt it should always reflect various shades of ppl. They drew themselves back then in various skin tones. Light to dark. There shouldn't be all white or all black depictions of any time period of ancient Egypt.

[@kristophersurma6459]

@@alaly1027 and that has anything to do with the fact Cleopatra was a GREEK?

[@alaly1027]

@@kristophersurma6459 I didn't say she wasn't. I was responding to the idea that it's inaccurate to say black skinned Africans have no claim to ancient Egyptian history, which is what you imply when you assert one is stealing a culture to feel like they have a history. Which if your point was to emphasize that Cleopatra was Greek then you should have said that. However your point was to say black ppl have their own history & you seem to think ancient Egypt isn't included in that. I also said that ancient Egyptian history involves ppl of all shades. So I was not advocating making Cleopatra black African descent, when we know where she was from & what she looked like.

[@kristophersurma6459]

@@alaly1027 this video is SPECIFICALLY about Cleopatra! Not just Ancient Egypt. Therefore my comment when taken at face value, as it should be, is specifically about Cleopatra.

[@alaly1027]

@@kristophersurma6459 the video is specific. Your comment does not read as specific to Cleopatra or even this director, but rather to black ppl. Then you finish it with: "It implies that they feel the need to steal other people's histories in order to feel like they actually have a history." I *am* taking the comment at face value. I'm replying to what you actually wrote, not to what you felt it conveyed based not on your actual words, but bc of the video it's under. So my comments were to clarify that again, black skinned Africans are a part of ancient Egyptian history of which Cleopatra, who wasn't black skinned, was also a part of. Therefore, black skinned ppl aren't "stealing" another's history. And I used myself as a reference.

[@kaizermierkrazy6886]

"Why should'nt Celopatra be black?" Uh, the same reason Nepoleon should not be shown as Asian or Ghengis Khan as British, cause they weren't.

[@monicaaboites5053]

Is the same argument that they did with Anne Boleyn: "Why shouldn't Anna Boleyn be black" Because they are historical figures, and try to change their races is telling lies. At the first i thought that this documentary would be like a fanfic, but this thing pretends to be serious. And WTF with that old lady saying that lie? Does she really think like that? Or Antifa and Jada Pinket paid her in order to make her saying it that stupid thing?

[@jeffreygao3956]

That latter case is whitewashing which would be hell to pay. Thank goodness most societies have a recognition that whitewashing was traditionally done and that that tradition sucks.

[@MarkCreed007]

Exactly.

[@SiGUYE]

John Wayne played Genghis Khan in a movie once.

[@twistedknightmarestudio]

@@SiGUYEthat doesn’t make it right. It was called out a ridiculous back then, and it’s equally as ridiculous now.

[@aditichatterjee3353]

Why couldn't have Netflix made a series on Hatshepsut?! She was a really great and powerful Egyptian Queen who reigned as a Pharoah, and even wore a false beard to project that image of a Pharoah. Her successors tried to demolish all evidence of her but alas.

[@mirbear72]

But please have Egyptians play Egyptians. It can’t be that hard to find an Egyptian actress.

[@alihorda]

​@@mirbear72for me personally, I couldn't care less about the race of the actor. Just give a believable and honest work. Ofc if it is supposed to be a documentary then try to be accurate.

[@basilofgoodwishes4138]

But she isn't as iconic and well-known as cleopatra and you won't interest anyone with such an "obscure" character, the author needed someone who was more familiar with the audiences and her point won't work with such a figure. Honestly, the whole debate is pointless, you cannot ever with our modern tech portray the lives of the Egyptians accurately and it never had been. People shit on Black Cleopatra, but are OK with the Nasuverse doing worse things? This is just being selective and IMO not really worth the hassle. I watched many docudrama shows and this is not even the worst portrayal I have seen, Cortez being treated as a merciful crusader is even worse.

[@nekogaming5300]

@@basilofgoodwishes4138 kid you can act like this is not worth complaining about but people were promised a DOCUMENTARY not some shit fanfiction and when they actively lie and change history to suit their needs it is disgusting and should be called out

[@PlatinumAltaria]

I guess she doesn't have enough name recognition. In general people only have room for like, 4 non-white historical figures.

[@KingOfMumbles485...]

You did more work on the Egyptian mythology then this netflix documentary.

[@3asianassassin]

Well, this isn't mythology, it's history. Portraying a definitely-real person is very different than portraying a historically-significant yet fictional god.

[@David-hc4xh]

The maternal line of Cleopatra has not been proven at all with some suggesting her mother was Cleopatra V, making her 3/4 Greek and 1/4 African. There is a plethora of evidence; studies, iconography, accounts from Romans, Greeks and archaeological finds to support the fact that ancient Egyptians were black. DNA of Egyptians today have sub-saharan DNA.

[@chamchop6609]

@@David-hc4xh cite your sources s'il vous plait

[@rorschach1985ify]

@@David-hc4xh Bullshit. Evidence has shown that ancient Egyptians are more similar to European DNA than Sub-Saharan. Not to mention those "suggestions" on Cleopatra being part African are only theorized, not proven with any evidence and even that theory has nothing to say that her being related to whatever concubine had to be African and not Greek or any other foreign race outside of Africa. Most evidence suggest she was related to only Greek descendants which is backed up by the infamous inbreeding of the Ptolemies to keep their line "pure", and possible depictions showing her as clearly Mediterranean White.

[@metatronyt]

Preach it brother. ps: I think the Egyptian gods should probably be gold, blue, red, green and black to be fair :)

[@TheMythologyGuy1]

Khonsu, Osiris, and some of the animal-headed ones definitely. I agree with that. Thanks for the support btw!

[@kadeshaforde]

​@@TheMythologyGuy1 Hi!! Hi!! Love your work!! I watch them all back to back almost every day. I'm actually black but my father's side of the family are of proper-speaking decent(which I have inherited). I get mistaken for being of other proper-speaking countries but I take them as compliments. And I am almost obsessed with Japanese culture and their urban legends. Can you, if you taking requests(or if you have the time, I do hope I'm not too rash), make a video relating to Japan and their legends? Pretty please?😊

[@TheMythologyGuy1]

@@kadeshaforde I’m thrilled you love the channel! Thank you. There’s actually a Japanese mythology playlist on my channel with several videos

[@kadeshaforde]

@@TheMythologyGuy1 REALLY?! I'm going to check it out right now!! Thank you, a lot. Keep up with the work. And, a little piece of advice; don't bother with hateful comments. They will only help make you stronger and encourage you to press on. Stay blessed!!

[@herkles5416]

So there are a few things here First Cleopatra was Greek, due to the stupid level of incest that existed in the Ptolemaic family tree. This is a family that married brother to sister. The person she was co-ruler with was her husband and her brother after all. Sometimes it was father/daughter or uncle-niece. The Ptolemies were inbreed to hell and back. And while there is some speculation on one of her ancestors being a concubine, which historians aren't sure about and even if that is true, the origin of said concubine isn't known. Could be of any origin found in the wider mediterranian world; since egypt was at the crossroads throughout the region. Not to mention the racial concepts of white or black weren't known to antiquity. not to say skin tone wasn't known it was but our concept of race is something that came out of the colonialization of the Americas Naturally of course they forget that Cleopatra ruled in the Ptolemaic Empire, which was filled with Greek influences. Cleopatra was not dressed like an ancient egyptian but as a Hellenistic Queen, which is evident on pretty much every surviving image of her. The thing that bugs me isn't the race thing its the anti-intellectualism. Netflix's own site said: "Cleopatra’s race was unlikely to be documented, and the identities of her mother and paternal grandparents weren’t known." which even a wiki search would show it was Ptolemy IX Lathyros. We know the family tree of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Since as mentioned its pretty much a line that doesn't expand. In the article that you mentioned where she insulted the Egyptian people, you left out plenty of things, but two lines I want to bring up. First:"but that I have asked Egyptians to see themselves as Africans" this and the whole article honestly just reeks of colonialism, of imperialism. Second was this statement: "a re-imagined Cleopatra - and with the team that made this. We re-imagined a world over 2,000 years ago where once there was an exceptional woman who ruled." If you are re-imagining a world, cool, but don't call it a documentary. A re-imagining isn't historical.

[@FelisImpurrator]

Funny how they ended up replicating every single cultural imperialist trope there is by pulling this. Casting a British actor to play an Egyptian ruler in an act of supreme irony, carelessly imposing an outsider's stereotype of Africa on part of Africa in a way that downplays and negates its historical diversity, misrepresenting the history of female rulers in Africa...

[@caradanellemcclintock8178]

I am African and this still happens to this day where people just assume we are all primitive. I am white and still get you cant be African your white my family has lived here for over 4 generations (Im South African, My father was from Zimbabwe His parents lived between Zimbabwe and The Congo thats as far back as I know but I do know the family live in Africa somewhere before that. My mom is Afrikaans so her family has been here since the Dutch came to South Africa in the East India Trading Company days.) how far does my family have to go back on this continent for us to be African. Im not Egyptian so I cant speak for them but because of their positioning on the map they have been super diverse way before the rest of Africa caught up and the rest of the continent has been there for over 2 centuries. I really like your comment very well researched

[@JonathanMandrake]

I don't quite agree. There are a lot of things we can't know about these times. Filling in some of these blanks is perfectly reasonable, so long as you make some mention that these parts are not proven, but educated guesses on how things could have been. Additionally, changing a few key facts to explore how people would have reacted differently based on what we know of them also can serve to document them, though the disclaimers have to be much more noticable for it to actually be educational. The problem is when changes are made without documenting what was changed

[@cttommy73]

This "documentary" isn't and wasn't and never was created with Egyptians in mind. Even the director made it very clear. This was created for America and America alone. It's why the director's response was a thing, because she loved the fact she is an American out to "educate" the American population on how the world is and because she lives in America, with America money, she knows she is untouchable, hence the attacks on Egypt and the Egyptians.

[@TheRedAzuki]

@Cara Danelle McClintock some people are just hella racist when they try to not be racist. They're weird like that

[@rufusrobinson3348]

Grandma: I don't care what they tell you in school, cleapatra was black. Professors and archeologist who studied bones for decades: Guess we're wrong.

[@Muna-Jlore0997]

I guess her grandma was an idiot, and she the idiot who believes it.

[@allmightyshika]

The same people who actively said black people felt no pain bffr

[@juaquintiscareno]

@@allmightyshika huh

[@Thersyl]

@@allmightyshika Yes, archeologists and historians, the absolute experts on human pain, are totally the same people as the doctors who said black people feel no pain 👌 Scientists are not one hivemind with no thoughts of their own.

[@noel2641]

​@@allmightyshika yes, white supremacists and sexist scientist whos only teachings was their religious texts, and argued that black people looked that way due to being symbols of sin, who needed to be taught by a. White man, and that women felt no pain from childbirth, and babys can have opium, Is 100% the same as people who are still to this day right about the appearance of bones, and what they imply about races.

[@dylantennant6594]

This makes me sad. Cleopatra is one of my favourite historical figures and she was a badass. She could speak 9 languages, was a brilliant tactician and politician. And you know what, she actually cared for Egypt, she legitmatly loved her country and the people in it, to the point where she would often write to people who wrote messages to her. And sure, she needed help, but really, who doesn’t if you want to get far. Yet this series honestly takes the two things that are honestly the least interesting things, her race and her gender, and make that the focus, it’s sad to see them to do the queen dirty. And what’s worse is this: I haven’t scene the show yet, but I based on the trailer, I have a bad feeling I bow they will portray Emperor Augustus.

[@ianyoder2537]

She drank a priceless pearl to prove a how decadent she was. Why aren't they talking about that?

[@dylantennant6594]

To be honest, I always thought that was a myth, kind of like how people say George Washington cut down a chery tree, but yeah that is a fair point.

[@BalthazarBullmann]

They’re probably gonna portray him as an old,racist,white dude with a country accent. Holding a whip in one hand,a beer in the other,and ranting about how back in his day; black people should’ve stayed in the fields.

[@guillemmadrigalgallud6306]

I think that the worst part is the fact that with the first sentence, the "women ruled with umparalleled power", what they are diong is undersell Cleopatra, because it's implying that it was normal for sll women to rule, when one of the thing that makes her special is that she was a standalone ruler in a time when women weren't suposed to rule. And yes, I also think they should have focused in her briliance and the fact that she was the first ruler of the ptolomaic dynasty that actually ruled and learnt egyptian, which the previous pharaohs of that dynasty hadn't done. But no, insted we have a show where Cleopatra is cool because she's a woman, no other special thing, instead of pointing out the things that made her one of the most inteligent people of her time.

[@viridianacortes9642]

The thing is, there is nothing wrong with admitting that cleopatra was not black. There are plenty of awesome black historical women they can make documentaries about. Just don’t lie about Cleopatra. I’ve known she was Greek since I was in High school.

[@kibbleandquibble1732]

Great video! As a woman I can't say Cleopatra's story resonates with me. She's a fascinating character. She convinced two world leaders to fall in love with her. She was so loved that even her maids and servants chose death rather than betraying her. I can't say I relate to any of it!

[@CuidightheachODuinn]

And she was a polyglot with eight languages under her belt? _Shit_ , I barely speak English good. -That's a joke in case that doesn't translate-

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

Heck, even Octavius, who called her every single name under the sun and had every intention of humiliating her in Rome, respected her spirit and mind in that he allowed her to be buried with Marc Anthony and adopted her children by him (though he did kill Caesarion for being Caesar's child.)

[@michelleraborn6886]

​@CuidightheachODuinn and when you think she mastered those languages as a CHILD!! She was an incredibly intelligent person

[@alexanderchristopher6237]

@@michelleraborn6886 Some people classify Melanesians and Polynesians as black. I dunno, I learned that from a roommate of mine back in college… who was from PNG.

[@PlasticDoll.]

I thought so too lmao. She's also a queen (in ancient times no less, not modern royalty), I don't think most women relate to her at all. Unless common experiences that every woman would have...

[@MyaB1986]

As a woman.... saying that every woman can identify with Cleopatra's story is the same as saying every guy can identify with Napoleon's story. Or moreover Henry the eight's story. As she was born in extreme wealth and power. And did pretty much what she wanted. It's not like she had to struggle with poverty or disability or everyday job. Maybe those in America that call themselves "yassss kweeen" think that, because this garbage was pretty much aimed at them.

[@teleriferchnyfain]

I am much more impressed with Hatshepsut, myself

[@gladiusbladeofthenorth9939]

That and we literally don't know about her daily life, they're literally asking people to related to a small section of someone's history.

[@DoritoBot9000]

@@teleriferchnyfain now that’s a documentary I’d love to see!

[@teleriferchnyfain]

@@DoritoBot9000 Me too!!!!

[@stellastella99]

I was thinking the same thing! Like what exactly about Cleopatra's history is relatable to all women?? From what I know about Cleopatra, nothing comes to mind other than maybe the most basic human experiences that literally every person relates to. Kinda feels like they think we can all relate to her simply because we're the same gender... Which is kinda sexist ngl

[@eduardoflores1503]

This show makes Yugiohs repensention of Egypt and its Mythology look more historical accurate. And even then Takahashi (god rest his soul) was fascinated by the culture and probably did more research than netflix writers did.

[@hawkticus_history_corner]

Yugiohs showing of Egypt is *just* correct enough that you know its wrong, but it gives such an interesting feel you want to know more. I think Takahashi wanted to capture that feeling more than the actual fact. And he did that.

[@shinybreloom4027]

is it even that wrong, the wrong parts were intentionally and deliberately wrong to fit the story in

[@loomingzenith9279]

@@shinybreloom4027 It also wasn’t advertised as a documentary either, so some creative liberty is allowed.

[@guilhermehank4938]

Yugioh's take on egypt wasnt historically accurate, BUT, you can make the two small arguments that, one, this is a kid's introduction to egypt so of course not all fine details will be portrayed accurately and second, there are freaking battles with monsters which Im very sure didnt happen in actual egypt so I think we can get away with some innacuracies

[@Birthday888]

@@guilhermehank4938 I agree. It's fantasy Egypt. Like how if you wanted write a story about supernatural ninjas, I think people would be fine with you taking some creative liberties with your depiction of historical japan, so long as it wasn't offensive or anything.

[@travismurtland3257]

Despite being a white American, I feel like it would probably be insulting to be told "Your country is in Africa so obviously this person is black, why would you want them represented as greek" by an American person who was not raised in your culture. They could have catered into every single Egyptian physical appearance stereotype and it'd probably be less insulting, because it would at least be more accurate.

[@guilhermehank4938]

These people are actually really racists but as long they keep it against white people, then they "arent" but sometimes the mask slips and they show who they really are

[@MK67934]

Egyptians are not black. This American west africaners simply trying steal my culture. DNA studies on many mummies even proved that ancient Egyptians we fairer and over years other african cultures affected the race. Many ancient painting depecting a mich lighter pharos kings fighting black Africans. It's simply a racist thing to assume African is only black.

[@waddledee6729]

"here's a documentary about Leif Erickson! Oh what's that? You don't like that we cast an Asian man in a historical documentary to play a Nordic Explorer who would've been white? Tough luck buddy because my uncle told me when I was 9 that Leif Erickson was a Chinese man!!!" -Netflix at some point

[@dustpanman2998]

It kinda reminds me of when people expect all Latinos and Latinas to be brown.

[@giulianopisciottano8302]

​@@dustpanman2998they have never been to latin Europe if that's the case

[@lovefromwonderland]

There are a ton of actual black queens they could’ve made a series about, why’d they choose to be historically inaccurate? Nefertiti. Lili’uokalani. Idia. They only went with Cleopatra because she’s recognizable. It sucks. They suck.

[@Sirlance3000]

Yah give me an actual black queen, not a pathetic ruler that had to rely on other more powerfull people, and than was just cast in the guter when they no longer had a use for her. Cleopatra although well known, was a pathetic ruler, and not black.

[@acelovesdiyschristopher7023]

​@@Sirlance3000well it depends on how its viewed. Like maybe she was dependant on others instead of herself or maybe she was a master political manipulator? Who knows?

[@aceonmaces_dolphins]

Lili’uokalani was Hawaiian. Just saying. Great point though

[@Hoda-uv2pe]

Nefertiti wasn't black 😂

[@lovefromwonderland]

@@Hoda-uv2peShe was African, which is more than I can say about Cleopatra

[@DUBS606]

The idea that we can’t relate to people that aren’t like us has always bugged me. I’m a Native American and if I only looked to people from my tribe for inspiration it would be few and far between. I loved learning about Alexander the Great, Benjamin Franklin, and Martin Luther King Jr. growing up. Was a not suppose to find inspiration from them ? Would I just have to stick to Geronimo? We can learn so much from one another, but we also understand each other better because there are shared experiences across the world.

[@dawnmana5876]

Same here! I'm mixed Native with some Polish, Scottish, and a little bit of Mongolian (I joke that I'm Heinz 57) If I could only relate to people JUST like me, that would be one hell of a tiny pool to choose from.

[@meriewanderer]

Literally this, like no you don't have to make a historical figure your race to relate to them 🥲

[@bennyv4444]

Northern European people have been looking to the Greeks, Italians, Punics, Persians, and Egyptians for inspiration forever. I don’t get why people think this way about representation either, we aren’t limited to heroes that look exactly like us! Everyone can find heroes everywhere!

[@history-jovian]

I myself am Asian South Asian to be precise, I am fascisnated by Napolean, Otto Von bismark, Abe Lincoln, Admrial Yi, George Washington, and many many more. So if I hadn't would I should just stay with Quaid, Gandhi, Nehru and any other Leader that I can't remember

[@patdaley9098]

Watching Queen Cleopatra is a good way of learning about Cleopatra's life and times. I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it about Cleopatra, Egypt, the Romans, and their relations.

[@_NIKOS9_NIKOS]

Director: "I've asked them (Egyptians) to see themselves as Africans..." This is literally like asking the French to see themselves as Europeans, forget about history, she needs to learn about basic geography

[@hagamapama]

I like one comment I saw about that statement. The Egyptians see themselves as Africans. She, this pretentious director, doesn't see them as Africans. She proved that by blackwashing one of their ost significant historical characters.

[@malachiolmstead]

Exactly it'd be like telling mexicans they are north Americans

[@glanty]

​@@malachiolmsteadthey are in the Americas

[@malachiolmstead]

@glanty dude you do not get my comment at all yes ik they are in the Americas and are in north America but we do not call them Americans or north Americans we call them Mexicans because they are from Mexico. God, you're dumb

[@big_numbers]

@@glanty r/woooosh

[@holy2685]

I'm greek and I find this director's take unhinged and terrifying, thank you for coming to my tedtalk.

[@bug938]

cope!

[@juaquintiscareno]

@@bug938 cope really is that all you have to say about altering history because you don’t like it

[@juaquintiscareno]

@@bug938 it sad really where this generation is going

[@Samura1313]

@@bug938 The Egyptian government spoke against this series, lmao. Imagine something being rejected by the country whose history it is misrepresenting, while your american liberal ass defends it.

[@demikpre]

ok...no when they have an actor plays jesus thats blond, straight hair and blue eyes. lol did that bother you any? the actor playing cleo isnt even dark skined if anything her tone makes sense for the region, also black comes in variety of shades, i dont exactly see the issues since it is in africa, and wasnt Egypt conquered and thats how we got the Egyptians we know today? do you guys think cleo looked like a JLO or something

[@bubblybobabubbles]

I think its funny that the trailer says Cleopatra's story "resonates with every woman" but then the director turns around and starts saying you can only enjoy things from your own ethnicity. Not every woman is black or Egyptian...

[@Deeeeeeeee1]

Yep, it does. Every woman has wanted to murder her siblings for the power, hasn't she?

[@acelovesdiyschristopher7023]

Or African. Or Greek.😂

[@asarishepard8171]

So they're racist and also saying non black people shouldn't watch it. Something tells me this director was a playground bully in their school days.

[@acelovesdiyschristopher7023]

@@asarishepard8171 I mean has a pinket Smith was part of the production so there's probably a large chance ur right😂

[@Kloyster2010]

I can't believe I missed that, the irony

[@alexblack2628]

"Listen, honey. I need you to ignore all sources of education, ignore what school says, ignore what history says, ignore all of the evidence. IGNORE everything that definitely proves what I'm telling is not true because I would rather it was true. It's better for us if we pretend this lie is real." You perfectly explained why the world is the way it is right now.

[@patdaley9098]

So who are you arguing with? Dr. Haley's old grandmother? She would be very old now. Is she still living?

[@Icetea-2000]

@@patdaley9098 who are we arguing with? Are you really that stupid?

[@maniaclaugh]

It doesn't matter if she's dead or ancient, if she's wrong she's wrong. Choosing to believe what makes you feel better over factual truth is a common trait of cult followers and certain political groups no sane person would associate with.

[@dwaynewhite1669]

Most of people know about Cleopatra is BS anyway. So, someone else comes along and embellishes a story that already full of embellishments. I just don't understand how ppl can proclaim such a disdain for BS when what they know about a person is most likely BS

[@purefoldnz3070]

basically every flat earther.

[@twoczents]

As an Nigerian, this project gives me the ick. I loved a series like Moon Knight because it actually got a chance to properly display and represent Egyptian people not as a monolith or as savage others but as people. I mean, that scene where Layla is aksed by a little Cairo girl asked if she's an Egyptian superhero and she nods is just so amazing. This sits in the same category as The Woman King. A lot of African-Americans feel soooo entitled to African cultures as opposed to it being earned through respect. The black people used for this project probably have ancestry to anywhere but North East Africa. Not every single person in this whole ass continent has melanin and 4C hair. This show thinks that every in Africa is practically the same. It's like casting a Pakistani actor to play an Indian cultural figure. You were completely right with your closing points and it honestly feels like everything has to be black for some black Americans. They're like flipping Wednesday. African culture keeps on being overly worshipped and essentialized like the Navi from Avatar by a some Black Americans and I am getting real tired of it. And, no. Black Panther 1 and 2 do not fall into this category of Essentialized Africa by African-Americans. If anything, they actually respect Egyptian culture way more than this thing does. If anyone African-American is out there waiting to make a project that represents African cultures, PLEASE contact people of that culture and PLEASE always do your research.

[@darrellpowell6042]

When Dr Zahi Hawass, the WORLD's TOP Egyptian archaeologist says the show is pure BS, then you know its NOT worth watching. Hawass commented on the movie, which sparked public criticism in Egypt for portraying the Ptolemaic Queen as black-skinned, saying: “This is completely fake.Cleopatra was Greek, meaning that she was blonde, not black.” Hawass added that in recent years a trend emerged, led by black Americans and blacks in South America, claiming that the Egyptian civilization is of black origin. He stressed that such claims were completely false. The black civilization has no connection with the Egyptian civilization, Hawass said, pointing out that the black civilization did not rule Egypt except in the twenty-fifth dynasty during the era of the Kingdom of Kush, i.e. at the end of the ancient Egyptian civilization. Here endeth the lesson. Netflix got this wrong. Now IF they had Dr Zahi Hawass, in the show saying she was black, people would have watched it. Side note Cleopatra's tomb has never been discovered.

[@patdaley9098]

@@darrellpowell6042 When he said that, had he seen the docudrama or only the 2 min trailer?

[@vermilion7777]

I'm german, I can feel your pain, at least to an extend. The americans have a habit to exploit, larp and worship other peoples cultures and turning it into an idealized plastic mockup... so sick of it...

[@normazayed2100]

Because moon knight was directed by an Egyptian and this sh** show was directed by Jada Benedict smith

[@coling3957]

@@patdaley9098 why would anyone subject themselves to watching the whole show. the trailer and the comments from the director, producer and lead actress show only too clearly what they are about. . every credible scholar knows full well the Ptolemys and Cleopatra VII was GREEK .. certainly not black. there are pictures and sculptures of her made when she was alive. also the Romans themselves - noone who saw her ever said "she's black" and they sure would have when they were calling her every name under the sun when she was with Mark Anthony..

[@gabel8345]

I'm Egyptian and I wanted to add that we are proud of our long heritage and current culture which includes Ancient Egyptian languages and feasts, festivals etc. Just because people are ignorant about them doesn't mean they can steal our identity, which is what this Netflix series is actually doing.

[@denkerbosu3551]

"B-But grandma said we can!"

[@linkdiablo4476]

​@@denkerbosu3551 my grandma said michael jordan is white

[@msmaria5039]

I am guessing that you cancelled your Netflix or the Egyptian equivalent subscription if you have one. I am angry on your behalf. Cleopatra was a fascinating woman.

[@gabel8345]

@@msmaria5039 100%!

[@patdaley9098]

@@denkerbosu3551 No one says grandma was right.

[@Mabra51]

7:55 This is the biggest problem. They're calling it a documentary when it obviously isn't. I imagine it wouldn't receive as much backlash if it was presented as the fiction drama that it is.

[@juliapeters6036]

"Cleopatra´s story resonates with every woman." - Uhm... my family tree isn´t a circle, nor have I been given the opportunity to rule over any country, or felt the need to make political moves within the comminuty I live in. I haven´t felt the need to shag any neighbouring community members for political gain, either. I´m also not that much of a threat to the remaining world´s monarchs. The village I live in, though lovely, has never been invaded ( mainly due to lack of importance and interest ), either. So... I can´t resonate with Cleopatra´s story.

[@tentacledood5784]

Lmao

[@gobalbucs]

I also cannot relate because I don’t have sex with my brothers.

[@tentacledood5784]

@@gobalbucs 💀💀💀

[@juliapeters6036]

@@gobalbucs Same. Lol.

[@anitat9727]

Yup. Never screwed my brothers nor have I assassinated them. So honestly can't relate

[@coldtea7]

This straight up might be the best I could ever imagine anyone handling this topic in the most respectful way to every person and every view. Regardless of Netflix's Cleopatra, you've done an incredible job on this topic as a whole.

[@patdaley9098]

But when he posted, he had only seen a 2 min trailer, and misunderstood that. The docudrama only came out May 10, so he could not have watched it. He certainly can write plausible sounding stuff . . .

[@greekmetalhead1805]

Dude, the lady's grandma said that she was black no matter what. It's game over. You can't counter that 😂

[@lisboah]

Bruh, as much as I loved my grandmother, I couldn't 100% trust her words. She was one of those people that believed that the Apollo 11 landing on the Moon back in 1969 was fake.

[@misslangleysoryuisiconic]

If she said it to me, I rather walk away

[@sherlocksmuuug6692]

And I'm sure some Mormon's grandpa told him that both ancient Native Americans *and* the ancient Isrealites were actually white Mormons. It's over fellas. I only hope that they don't start making docudramas based on the claims of grandparents from the Balkans regarding the ethnicity of various historical figures. That might actually incite a war.

[@patdaley9098]

Except Dr Shelley Haley does not agree with her grandmother.

[@twombonu]

I spent nearly 50 years studying ancient Egypt, I even wrote a book about it. This Netflix documentary is something you couldn't pay me to watch. Frankly, I would go as far as to say that I wouldn't line a bird cage with it.

[@pappanalab]

Oh my god! A wild Egyptologist!

[@jeffreygao3956]

Can I get the title of your book? I’m gonna read it!

[@twombonu]

@@jeffreygao3956 Sure! The title is: "Alex Belfort and the queen of Egypt" . On my channel, I made a video with the same name where you can find out more.

[@nightmayor6114]

Jada was as loyal to the mythology as she were to will smith

[@freedantheeternal]

I remember my grandmother saying to me: "I don't care what they tell you in school, cigarettes don't cause cancer." Four years later she died from lung cancer. Obviously not because of the cigarettes, though.

[@Icetea-2000]

No it was because of the patriarchy and because she didn’t smoke enough cigarettes

[@A1stardan]

It was me, I gave the cancer. Cigarettes are innocent

[@Zombie1Boy]

Keith Richards: Shame, really...

[@GuyChooo]

​@@Icetea-2000 yeah, patriarchy causes cancer, screw patriarchy.

[@Cherrymilktea]

I mean Doctor Mike stated that lung cancer isn’t always caused by smoking; some cases are caused by inhaling asbestos dust

[@Redwallwarriorgirl89]

As a woman I hate that statement “it resonates with every woman” um no it doesn’t. I was never a queen I don’t want to be. I am happy being a mother and a wife I really don’t need to feel empowered or be a girls boss.I’m just a nobody and I love it. I live my life simply and enjoy the things I enjoy.

[@yc0995]

You are not a nobody, you are everything to your kids.

[@Redwallwarriorgirl89]

@@yc0995 thank you 😊I don’t mean nobody as a negative term though. I have a peace in my life that I don’t need to be somebody. I don’t need to have every man think Im beautiful because I have my husband who looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world. I don’t have to be the greatest mom and put others to shame because I’m just happy if my children are happy. And if I leave only the smallest mark in this world I’m just happy because it’s my mark and I proud of the life I have. So i am a nobody on purpose because it’s all I ever wanted.

[@dowsingelf77]

I don't think assassinating my sister for political rivalry resonates with me 😂

[@dizzydoom4230]

Being a queen also has a shit ton of responsibilities if you take your job at all seriously, so I don't blame you.

[@caleidozkopie8344]

The issue I take with your comment is that your identity is dependent on other people and that is dangerous.

[@wanemarr]

As a north African , I understand African American people feel neglected and underepresented in their own media . I am totally sympathetic to that. But you don't have to do to other cultures what has been done to your own .

[@PunishedKrab]

I agree. It takes some true intelligence to register not just that, but also the fact that racism in general isn’t just “White people shitting on minorities”, white people themselves can too be victims of discrimination in some way, they’re never truly invulnerable against it, racism itself is not specific at all, as in anyone can be victims of discrimination, regardless if you’re even remotely tan or dark in any way

[@Meamery]

I don’t agree with these movies at all there are plenty of real black people in our history and you can always make one up

[@rainyfeathers9148]

They're not 'doing it to' other cultures People trip over themselves to call Black Americans hypocrites or play the 'two wrongs don't make a right' card. It's time they ate what they dished out, maybe this case is different but just deserts I say.

[@charlesadeoye1404]

Ancient Kemet/Egypt was a black African society before invasions and you know it. Making silly comments, shameful

[@Somm_RJ]

​@@charlesadeoye1404All human were African at some point. This game of claiming things up to prehistoric times is a dull argument. They may or may not be before invasion does not change the fact that Cleopatra is Greek and the people at that time is not homogenously black.

[@michaelbutler1619]

If Netflix wanted to make a series on a powerful African ruler, they should’ve made one on Sundiata Keita. He was a truly amazing king that overcame a physical disability through sheer willpower and some metal leg braces, fought his own siblings to recapture his father’s lost territory, founded one of the wealthiest empires of all time, and was the great-uncle of Mansa Musa: the wealthiest person that ever lived. I would gladly watch a drama series based off of him and/or the Keita dynasty, unlike Netflix’s Cleopatra.

[@theanimeunderworld8338]

Problem Cleopatra has more IP. -_-

[@FelisImpurrator]

Seriously? That's badass.

[@misslangleysoryuisiconic]

Seriously bro? Thats awesome

[@karolinakuc4783]

Or a movie about Mansa Musa himself

[@annieandelsieofarendelle3294]

Menelik II, the King of Ethiopia fought off colonization and ended slavery in his country.

[@DioTheGreatOne]

I can't help but think that this type of ''representation'' is just SO condescending to the people that it supposedly represents.

[@guilhermehank4938]

thats because it is. Hollywood and these people dont actually care for minorities. Only the illusion of it but sometimes the resentment is so great, the mask slips.

[@Churros_are_Overrated]

You would be surprised what these times have done to people I’ve seen more people supporting this than not it’s kinda wild

[@aguywithalotofopinions412]

Well yeah, this is textbook Hollywood narcissism

[@Meamery]

It is I’m black and this deeply upsets me and not just because it’s inaccurate. It’s because I know that non black people will take movies like this and say well if you turn them black why can’t I turn this black character another race it’s wrong on both sides because if you want kids to have something to look up too find a real black person or make a fictional one.

[@David-hc4xh]

Whilst its not perfect it tells an important story of an African Queen, how that people with darker skin (non-white) were once some of the most powerful people in the world and how it was from Africa that Europe got its power and wealth.

[@itsmeTita]

The choice of actor is something, a british actress to play Cleopatra is interesting. We talk about representation and you're telling there is no Egyptian actress willing to play her. And as a side note white Africans ( Edit:white people for me are people with light skin )exist we are not just Arab ,the ignorance of the people who worked on this mess is showing.

[@Olimar92]

It's an American Made series meant to appeal to the Black community. They don't want to research African History when they can find popular shit to blackwash.

[@zionleach3001]

Indeed. I mean seriously? Did they just pick her cause of popularity.

[@Olimar92]

@@zionleach3001 Yeah, she's also a woman. So two reasons. Popular and boobs.

[@faerie5926]

Fjrjfhhrjrj the fact the actress is British is a bit amusing because of the British Museum- but anyways I agree.

[@itsmeTita]

@@zionleach3001 I would say shamelessness

[@AidenMiller-l9f]

Honestly, I love that you are one of the few youtubers who actually cares about the effect of the controversies rather than just click bait. Plus, your Gods of Egypt Review made my whole family laugh multiple times, Thank you, mythology Guy

[@darkmatter-mc5iv]

basically, it's a fanfic that's being presented as a documentary.

[@animefan8591]

Like the woman king

[@SirSqueakStir]

Finally someone said it. yes that is 100% on the point.

[@corenlavolpe6143]

Or the BBC Anne Boleyn series

[@anaz5918]

@@animefan8591to be fair the woman king didn’t claim to be a documentary .

[@animefan8591]

@@anaz5918 but there's still a historical significance that it's blatantly lying about

[@LB0206]

This reminds me a bit of Mulan (the live-action version), where the producers wanted to depict her as a powerful woman - only they needed to give her literal supernatural powers to make her equal to men instead of simply following the ballad, which it was based on. In this case, they wanted to make a documentary on a powerful black queen but needed to race-swap a white queen instead of finding some actual representation from history. Both are insulting for what they imply.

[@shinybreloom4027]

they did fix her opponent to be the Rouran Khaganate at least and not the Mongols who descended partially from her Xianbei line

[@frogtown]

I mean the mulan movie was being influenced by Chinese Wuxia, I thought everyone knew that

[@shinybreloom4027]

@@frogtown true, Wuxia characters start off talented and Xianxia ones just go on killing sprees for their beliefs very fond of those Martial Peak novels and cultivation novels

[@saltire_2825]

I'm assuming you mean the live-action version and not the animated classic. If so, then I absolutely agree.

[@LB0206]

@@saltire_2825 ofc

[@thymenext3298]

As a women I didn’t really care about her growing up, but by gods is this so horrible and she deserves more respect. I thought Mulan 2020 was bad but this takes the cake.

[@karolinakuc4783]

Both movies are bad. Muland 2020 was filmed near Uyghur camps in which people are killed, raped, tortured and brainwashed. As for blackwashing pharaons it is not the first time it happen as an example I can give you Prince of Egypt by Dreamworks. But these were never called documentary movies. Anyways television lies and it is better to go to a library or see things at your very eyes afterall we have sculptures and mummies. We can learn what was in past. Maybe this whole scandal will have some positive effects you know people will start to take what is on TV with a pinch of salt 😁

[@sahilrahman5066]

@@karolinakuc4783 But atleast Prince of Egypt was a animated masterpiece with obvious inaccuracies here and there. This 2 were just bland with a simple agenda to fill

[@Meggsie]

Mulan & Moses were both fictional at least.

[@floofypoofybread]

"One race should stick to their own" Somehow that women actually embraces age old seggreration, racist ideas, how in the actual heck

[@mcvenne8935]

It sucks that a super interesting historical figure gets turned into a Black girls rule! message. She was so much more than just a powerful woman. To consider her only as such diminishes who she was. She wasn't a girl boss. She was a queen, a ruler. She deserves so much more than this.

[@NoelleTakestheSky]

The inavertent message they actuall sent is that Black history doesn’t actually include kick-ass Black women, which is why they need to swap the color of someone else. Also, the assholes who made this “documentary” very clearly think that the obly tones are Black and white.

[@flwrsforlay]

If this was historical fiction, her being black wouldn't be an issue, but it's a documentary. Documentaries need to be as accurate a physically possible.

[@GeraltofRivia22]

It would still be stupid.

[@flwrsforlay]

@@GeraltofRivia22 How so? It would be fiction, i.e. an unreal, inaccurate representation of history. At that point, what's wrong with changing her race?

[@Xerxine]

@@flwrsforlay If they made Rosa Parks white in a documentary there’d be global backlash, but turn a white character black and your a saint apparently..

[@DrygdorDradgvork]

@@Xerxine still waiting for a documentary where they cast Hitler as a black woman. Cowards.

[@nathanlopez8290]

@@Xerxinewell the difference is that Rosa Parks being black was/ still is extremely important in America history. The skin color of Cleopatra, at least to my knowledge, wasn’t as important to her as a person as it was for pretty much anyone involved in the civil rights movement.

[@S44778]

I'm Egyptian and I truly thank you for this video 🙏 the director's and lead actress' responses were so infuriating because of how condescending they were and then the gaslighting was the cherry on top....how arrogant are they to think that they can falsify our history, title it as a documentary and still want us to shut up about it??....I mean the whole thing is full of historical inaccuracies....They totally deserve the backlash!!

[@Churros_are_Overrated]

Well guess what I’m not a sheep like the rest here. I know Egypt didn’t exist until 2023 when they started this documentary. You do not exist you fed stop trying to convince me Egypt existed. Especially trying to say that white skinned people exist in Africa! The audacity! Only strong black women exist in Africa!

[@GeraltofRivia22]

Funny thing is the race swap isn't even the most egregious historical lie in the show.

[@DirtyTurtle67]

This is a really insulting show to Egyptians, everyone involved should be deeply ashamed. I'm sorry they spit on your country like this. Jada apparently needed her ego stroked again.

[@S44778]

@@DirtyTurtle67 Thank you for the support 🙏 The problem is that this documentary had the intent of pushing a false narrative...one which has been carried out by a group of people for years now and the say we're not real Egyptians, we're not Africans and that we're Invaders and this history isn't ours...we present actual genetic or historical evidence and they either say it's fake or has been white washed!!!

[@S44778]

@@GeraltofRivia22 💯💯💯

[@daphnemccanney268]

This is where uncle Iroh's 4 elements quote really resonates with me. " It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it become rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations, will help you become whole."(Avatar The Last Airbender) When applied to the real world we can draw knowledge from all cultures. Whether you look the people in the culture or not. You don't need to have gender, race, creed, ethnicity, religion, ect. to have well rounded and empathic understanding of the wisdom, history, and beliefs of other places. I don't understand why this even has to be stated.

[@abowlofrice1245]

The Director is so patronizing wtf. Talking down to Egyptian people like that as if she understand what they want more than they do

[@guccifer764]

Shes Iranian too btw

[@sarahasdfg8248]

Honestly at this point...I think Netflix should apologize to Egypt and Jada and her "experts" should be banned from ever coming to egypt and boycotted. If they had come out after with a reasonable argument I wouldn't be so mad but the fact that they turned around and called us racist because we are against this trash is unbelievably racist, stupid and offensive.

[@shinybreloom4027]

al sisi would probably ban them given his track record but you'll need like another petition preferably before the year ends and people move on to the next instance of this sort of movie

[@guilhermehank4938]

At this point Netflix should just shut down

[@sarahasdfg8248]

@@guilhermehank4938 agreed

[@levadamusic]

First of all, no one knows what Cleopatra was like, there are not enough records to say whether or not she actually existed. The previously raised theory of black Cleopatra does not make any other hypotheses right. The Vikings series , it is an example of a highly mistaken story on Netflix, no one complains, the other historical series on Netflix are horrible, Rome is terrible, but only with black Cleopatra did it cause this commotion? Is it really for the history ? Don't seams like it

[@sarahasdfg8248]

@Levada Music you are incredibly ignorant and probably get ur info from Instagram. We have proof she existed and we have her whole family tree...she was macedonian Greek and from the Ptolemy dynasty which practiced incest in order to keep their blood line pure. Your argument is exactly like me saying we don't know if Malcolm x existed or if he was African American. Your argument is very offensive to not only Egyptians but to Greeks, Egyptologists, historians, and archeologists who have dedicated their careers and lives to studying egyptian history. It seems you think you know better than them and even to me who is a history major. How would you feel if MLK was cast as Ryan Reynolds or Ryan gosling for a documentary? It's ridiculous and a black cleopatra is just as ridiculous.

[@-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-0]

Thank you for explaining this controversy to non-Egyptian people. Your knowledge of our history is excellent and pretty accurate. We have been called all sorts of names for rejecting Netflix misrepresentation of our history & culture. They didn't have a single Egyptian actor or actresse, not even a single Egyptian historian to explain Egyptian history. I don't know why they're doing this to us 😢

[@langdalepaul]

I can tell you why: it’s because they’re so full of their success in wrecking American and European history, and the next step in their crusade of black supremacy is to rewrote African history too. Don’t feel victimised. You’re just collateral damage in their eyes.

[@yasiegonlastie5483]

انا غضبانة انهم بيقولوا انهم بيحبوا تاريخ مصر بس بيدماروا تاريخنا!! 😭💔💔 يارب ام المسلسل ده يخربهم 🤬

[@YM-co1iy]

People like imposing their own ideas on the history of others. It's not a new thing. And it's never pleasant. And as to why? Because they can. 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@hawkticus_history_corner]

Hollywood my dude, Hollywood.

[@dg4545]

@@YM-co1iy and elitists. Who know nothing about the labors of hard work and dealing with debt.

[@mcg4478]

Doesn't Netflix think that this will make viewers to question their "documentary " section? After this, can you trust what they are presenting as documentaries?

[@albertotequida6964]

Do you remember the Anne Boleyn BBC series where she was portrayed by a black actress? They admit that they wanted her to be black so the viewers could relate to her oppression. If one thing must be kept as close to known facts as possible is history, sure, you can reimagine the events and people thru moddern lenses, retell the stories with other people, but documentaries and docu-series are not to be done at the producers whims.

[@EspenSGX]

That series was actually made by Channel 5, not the BBC.

[@albertotequida6964]

@@EspenSGX my bad, I was sure it was BBC

[@kungfufilm6367]

Yeah, because I could never understand the movie 12 years a Slave because I'm not black. The idea that a person must be the race of another in order to relate or understand them is pretty stupid and racist itself. You don't need to be black to understand that slavery was wrong, just like I don't need to be white understand that Anne Bolynee was in an opressed situation.

[@EspenSGX]

@@albertotequida6964 No problem, mate. Who can keep track of all those Tudor series the Brits make! 😉

[@annas4843]

@@kungfufilm6367according to their logic we need to “re-imagine” 12 years as a slave with white characters so we can relate to them and understand the strangles. Otherwise not possible

[@squizzyicetea]

People in Egypt would commonly shave their heads, to make sure that they had good hygiene. Them leaving her with her natural hair, whether they know it or not, symbolizes that she didn't actually keep herself clean with traditional methods. Methods. She would have had a bald head and what have worn beautiful clean wigs, woven by absolute master craftsman

[@keiraaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Ah they won’t do that though. Which sucks because hey, that could be an interesting thing to show, but no.

[@BHuang92]

Poor Cleopatra! The only historical figure to have been both whitewashed AND blackwashed!!

[@JD-bk4zi]

White washed ? She is a Greek Imbred

[@KingOfMumbles485...]

What's next graywashed?

[@alexandersmith4731]

​@@KingOfMumbles485... Alienwashed 😂, I mean some are really obsessed with the idea that her people are magical

[@des4929]

And honestly that's a fucking accomplishment not a good one but one that baffles me that it occurred in the first place like how as a human race did we manage this

[@Olimar92]

@@KingOfMumbles485... Naw, she'll be Korean or Chinese next. They might even try and make her Native American. How? These people are ignoring actual facts that tell you who she was, and her ancestry, they'll BS and make it work.

[@JustNonsens]

“My grandma told me Cleopatra was black.” That’s cool, you know my great uncle once told me that there is nothing wrong with drinking alcohol. He died at the age of 51. I’ll let you figure out how

[@MisterLG08]

Wait it's BAD to drink alcohol? (half-life death sound effect)

[@LunrFox]

I'm not Egyptian, but I do love the history and mythology of that country. This series just pissed me off.

[@theblackbaron4119]

There's a load of interesting less know very powerful actual black African queens that have not been talked about a lot. If they really cared they would have talked about them, not intentionally rage baited the shit out of Cleopatra because most Americans are too dumb to know any other notable queens from Africa. It's all just "any publicity is good publicity". Clicks views hate watchers. Don't watch the netflix garbage and let's not talk about it too much, they just get what they want

[@yasiegonlastie5483]

Im egyptian and im so pissed with you! I mean like angry alongside you not angry at you 😂

[@berndf0]

About the director's comment "Oh Lawd! Why would that be a good thing to you Amir? You're Egyptian." What infuriates me most about this statement is that she explicitly admits that factuality doesn't matter to her but only ideology and identity.... In a documentary!!!!

[@aguywithalotofopinions412]

And the fact that she, an American, is telling an Egyptian how he should feel about his own history

[@youknowme287]

He should direct marvel instead of documentary

[@zephyr8072]

This “women ruled with absolute power” line irks me cause they want to make it sound like things were so much better and more equal back then. Yeah.. no. I’m sick and tired of this “we’ve regressed” nonsense. It’s like saying Tudor England was a bastion of feminism because Elizabeth I ruled with absolute power.

[@guccifer764]

The funny thing is most women rulers in history wouldn’t even like most feminists today. And I’m not saying that to shit on feminism. Queen Victoria and Margaret Thatcher were big proponents of family values and would probably tell you to get back into the kitchen and squirt out 3 more kids

[@lauramartin7675]

The only way they kept "power" was because they could manipulate the men around them, while other men tried to assassinate them their whole lives.

[@zephyr8072]

@@titandarknight2698 That's clearly not what they mean in their tone. Because they don't say "this woman", they say "women". Implying that this is some form of empowerment rather than the truth which is that accidents of birth in monarchies sometimes lead to this, and that women are capable of being just as despotic as men.

[@DoñaRatona]

In fairness, the Egyptians did have a lot more respect towards women and women leaders. It was known as weird to the rest of the ancient world. But it is true women ruled with the same respect, but that was an Ancient Egypt thing mostly.. I understand other kingdoms in Africa had similar values. I agree though, it doesn't mean it was better on the whole for women back then, but it is interesting to note that it did happen.

[@dg4545]

@@zephyr8072 these people give me the vibe that they want to be despotic.

[@DeusEli]

I like how the egyptian people were pissed off about the horrendous portrayal of their history, and then the actress who played cleopatra called them racist and dont know what modern racism is 😂

[@brandonp7503]

11:24 "Why can't Cleopatra be black?" "Because she wasn't! Why change history?" This is where the "my truth" pop philosophy has gotten us. Filmmakers will unironically make "documentaries" about "their truths" now, instead of "the truth," and demand that "their truths" be accepted as equal to the truth.

[@heistingcrusader_ad3223]

Should have answered back with the same reason why George Washington isn't black or Martin Luther King isn't white. Cause it ain't true

[@pissed_off_dem]

I can't wait for the "Jada Pinkett Documentary" portrayed by Scarlett Johansson. Maybe Billy Bob Thornton can play Will Smith.

[@David-hc4xh]

The maternal line of Cleopatra has not been proven at all with some suggesting her mother was Cleopatra V, making her 3/4 Greek and 1/4 African. There is a plethora of evidence; studies, iconography, accounts from Romans, Greeks and archaeological finds to support the fact that ancient Egyptians were black. DNA of Egyptians today have sub-saharan DNA.

[@tymanung6382]

@@pissed_off_dem what if an Egyptian.played, her?

[@rorschach1985ify]

@@David-hc4xh You're lying and have literally copy pasted this same bullshit on another comment chain.

[@sobek4548]

Such a perfect and amusing summary of why this "documentary" is so problematic. I don't really have anything to add other than it's disrespectful in itself to rewrite history and promote it as truth. I love your videos and keep up the great work!!

[@SudoSkorpion]

That last part of the video talking about the "sticking with your own" idiology was incredibly powerful. This is something that has bothered me for some time now as well. I'm still relatively young, as I just hit adulthood a year ago, but the world feels as if it has changed dramatically regarding this. As a child, I was never worried about "sticking with my own". Sure I didn't want to watch "girl shows" because I was a little boy, but when I saw a character who truly inspired me, their race or nationality never mattered to me at all. We're all human, and it's okay to accept that we have inherent differences (skin color, hair color, eye color, etc.) while also accepting and even embracing each other. Culture and stories deserve to be shared and appreciated, without being changed to fit an agenda. Fantastic video, and I look forward to your future content.

[@soulcross]

@arianna period

[@adurskenplayz5984]

​@arianna facts

[@Nystariii]

Sir/madam, late happy birthday. But I think you are clever enough to have reached maturity before reaching 'adulthood'. You sound like you've given thought to your beliefs and you know where you're coming from. Not like these people in the documentary who sound very confident about what they say but have little of actual worth to say.

[@patdaley9098]

@@Nystariii So far, no one has pointed any important errors in the docudrama.

[@autisticscreechling4950]

@@patdaley9098 Cleopatra was not black, nor was she beautiful to name a few.

[@erinbathie-moore8478]

Cleopatra was Greek Mesadonian and that's final. I'm all for re-imagining CHARACTERS, but she was a Real Person who should be displayed as she was irl, ESPECIALLY in a documentary

[@hajarmdn4883]

This is why I've had so many weird arguments with americans trying to tell me that my ancestors must be colonizers because I'm a pale skin North African despite telling them that nope, I'm amazigh and we're the original people of Morocco (and other countries in north africa). But no, unless you're dark skinned, you can't be african according to these ignorants.

[@germanvelarde2667]

Some Americans are ignorant to the world on a literal global scale, it’s really embarrassing cause I live here in the U.S and was born here in the U.S, what’s crazy is I’m Mexican and Ive been told to go back to my country……yeah

[@ritikshaw5868]

@@germanvelarde2667 tell them to leave Texas and establish your new/old Mexican Republic there.

[@Zombie1Boy]

Ask them where the Barbary coast is and they'll hurt themselves in confusion.

[@Preaplanes]

Fun fact: when they say we all came from Africa, it's true. Know where that was, specifically? MOROCCO. Of course, that's just one place we came from, the place we were all clumped up before we spread across the Earth. Know where we were when we last shared a common ancestor with another species? PELOPENESIA. Those places point to one conclusion: our ancestors were were all MEDITERRANIAN. Not pale. Not black. Olive.

[@ShiftyMcGoggles]

You know what? You're also Amazing.

[@aleparedes8439]

At the end of the day, getting all worked up because they changed the race of a mermaid, a fictional character, COULD lead to some sort of debate or conversation. There is none to be had here, because the character in question is not a character, is a real historical figure. There is no room for "what would be more appropriate" or "what the vision of the creator is", her race is a FACT, and it's insulting that someone would appropriate her because what? She's a famous queen and they couldn't do their homework and look for an ACTUAL BLACK HISTORICAL RULER. As a woman of color myself, I'm getting tired of so called creators wanting brownie points when they only change the color of something and act like they are doing us favor, not even listening to legitimate criticism from their own target audience. It's lazy, it's boring, and in cases like this, it is unethical and hypocritical. You have no right to cry white washing if you are going to do the same to people of other races.

[@HereticalKitsune]

Amanirenas was alive at the SAME TIME as Cleopatra and the neighbour. And she INVADED Egypt too! But she doesn't get the attention because she doesn't have some big grave and wasn't from Egypt.

[@bessieburnet9816]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@pozzytrack0]

It’s because she’s dead and they have no respect for the dead. If they can’t defend themselves then we have free reign is their line of thinking. MJ would be the best example I have in this case. Man is dead and people still talk about stuff they can’t prove.

[@failuretv814]

You. I Like You.

[@sp0tl1gtf0rjustice]

I understand trying not to whitewash stuff, but you can’t do a 180 either, especially in a documentary. If it is fact put it in the god damn documentry, no matter race, gender, religious background, etc. Its like saying Gengis Khan was European, because I thought it would cool. Side note: I would like to find a decent documentry about the Mongols or Medievl Asia as a whole.

[@AngryHistorian87]

There is a great 4-part documentary series on the Mongols called Storm from the East.

[@MrWill7980]

Well, they did do that before. John Wayne, cowboy John Wayne, was Kahn in a movie. I don't remember the title, just John Wayne with a thin Asian style mustache wearing Mongolian armor.

[@MuriKakari]

Probably not what you're looking for, but Extra History did an awesome Genghis Khan series.

[@attilamarics3374]

@@MrWill7980 I dont really have a problem with different colored actors playing these roles, my problem is when they wont paint their skin etc. These are actors, when you want them to look the exact same way like the character, feel the same way and be the same way, that means you want the real person not an actor. If it makes sense, any actor should be able to play any role.

[@MrWill7980]

@@attilamarics3374 oh, I agree. I thought Robert Downey Jr was hilarious in Tropic Thunder. They handled his role perfectly, he was a white method actor in black face that got too far into the character. John Wayne as Genghis Khan? No. " Well, let's round up the wagons and raid Beijing, Pilgrims" yeah, bad choice. But times were different then. The main problem I have with race swapping is the just want the color, not the talent. Like, if the made Professor Xavier black, I wouldn't have a problem with it if they got a good actor to play him, like Morgan Freeman or maybe Denzel Washington. To have an actor like Chris Rock be Xavier wouldn't work because he's a comedian and not too good of a serious actor. Tldr: as long as the actor is good and the role is well written, I'm color blind.

[@dash4800]

That last rant kind od ties into the while modern idea of "cultural appropriation". For some reason people have decised tjsts the moat evil thing and that our cultures and histories should all remain separate. But historically thats rarely been the case. People have always explored other culturesand taken aspects they like to incorporate into their own societies. Its one of the foundational aspects of human interaction that has pushed society forward over time. We share goods, customs, ideas, and people even adopt religions and ancestral stories that they think have value. But now thsnks to a bunch of idiots with worthless humanities degrees we have to pretend its all so terrible.

[@Iransiren]

I’m Turkic iranian and I think its just so dumb how some Americans think they know better and argue with Egyptians I’ve had the same experience (they wanted to teach me my own culture) and I was furious it’s so insulting

[@dreademperor2094]

Even I don't like what Hollywood and our other media portray other cultures

[@dslai2938]

I know! It’s one of the stupidest things about America I’ve ever known. As a person with East Asian descent, I really despise how they’re that ignorant on other cultures. Its kinda like Gods of Egypt where the gods and people looked and spoke British apart from a few but it’s almost as if they didn’t even try to cast in actors with actual Egyptian or at the very least middle eastern ethnicity.

[@sabtaingopinath9652]

What's turkic Iranian? I thought Iranians like to themselves "Persian" no?

[@Iransiren]

@@sabtaingopinath9652 I’m iranian but ethnic turk it means my ancestors were from Central Asia

[@TheDapperDragon]

To be fair, that's less America, and more California.

[@shirasade]

Absolutely agree. If they wanted a black Cleopatra they should have made a fictional show, like the Bridgerton Queen Charlotte series which is 100% Regency fan fiction. But no, not only do they brand this as a documentary, they even outright state that her being black is a fact, making everyone complaining out to be whitewashing. Which, don't get me wrong, is a problem - but not in this case, not when we have actual evidence, including the Ptolemaic family tree.

[@BlueRoseFaery]

Exactly, if they had just not called it a documentary series and just said it was "based on" or "inspired by" history it wouldn't have been an issue near as much. But then to double down in interviews like that and insult actual Egyptians? I feel like they wanted the drama, Netflix is hurting lately so they wanted something controversial so they're playing that up in the marketing.

[@patdaley9098]

But they did not make a black Cleopatra. Adele James is a medium brown. Various people with different agendas have pushed that narrative.

[@Icetea-2000]

@@BlueRoseFaery even if they called it fiction, the series acts so serious like all of this is real that it would always invoke the feeling that the writers want you to take this as fact

[@Olimar92]

@@BlueRoseFaery And Egypt is suing them.

[@dwaynewhite1669]

You know Jesus wasn't a blue-eyed white dude. Yet; everytime there's a Jesus movie; a majority of the people don't go ballistic.

[@Femmeaesthetic]

I'm gonna be very loud and clear: "WE NEED REAL HISTORIANS, NOT ACTIVIST." This is also the same problem with entertainment now a days where they have activist having more creative control than actual creative people.

[@patdaley9098]

So these were not real historians? You don't know what you are talking about. BTW, Dr. Islam Issa is Egyptian!

[@patdaley9098]

@Rick King 22 What garbage? So far no one has pointed out any factual errors.

[@primedarkking10]

@@patdaley9098 being Egyptian does not guarantee being error-proof, especially considering the people he's working with

[@bilbobluntz1946]

@@patdaley9098 Cleopatra wasn’t black. That’s a glaring factual inaccuracy

[@agayactornamedmichaeldougl6289]

Genghis khan was documented as being a red head that was ober 6ft tall. The historical Buddha had blue eyes. Im tired of my peoples history being lied about....You should look into Robert sepehr. He brings receipts.

[@ayochill9716]

Analysis like this by someone like yourself who is educated on the subject matter is so important; we legitimately have people trying to rewrite history right now.

[@rooenart1346]

I ended up watching Queen Charlotte just to see if it was a hot mess and was shockingly surprised. Mostly because it didn't pretend to be a docuseries. It was a period drama in the vain of Hamilton more or less that took major liberties and loosely based it's plot and events around her life in the most vague sense but pushed it into a more TV drama than anything historical. Small things might be the same, her marriage, some things she did while she ruled, issues with her kids and infighting with the court but they make no mistake in telling you most of it is made up. I think that's why people left it alone or like me ended up enjoying it because we took it for what it was and left it at that. It was a fictional drama. This......not so much.

[@dumb8530]

Queen Charlotte was also based in bridgerton, a show that makes no attempt to claim it is in any way historically accurate

[@rohits7364]

@@dumb8530 True,but I have seen posts and comments inside that claim Queen Charlotte was black.

[@davidcook680]

You are forgetting they claimed it was a documentary. Sooooooooooooo the lied.

[@davidcook680]

@@rohits7364 she wasn't black.

[@MarkCreed007]

@rooenart1346 read this again."You are forgetting they claimed it was a documentary. Sooooooooooooo the lied".

[@fireystyle3678]

“My grandma said cleopatra is black” Stupidity runs in the family!

[@rainyfeathers9148]

Don't do that, come on now.

[@kaleblam5084]

Yeah come let’s calm down

[@TheDapperDragon]

@@rainyfeathers9148 I mean, if someone tells their grandchild 'Ignore what school tells you, I'm right.', then they are pretty stupid.

[@JAMES_IS_COOL1227]

​​@@TheDapperDragon I know then you call them out and people are like no bro that's not okay of you to do that. oh you're being mean because you pointed out they're blatantly retarded comment was hard to digest.

[@rainyfeathers9148]

@@TheDapperDragon What did school tell her grandmother? If she was allowed to go to school... Also, did school tell YOU how many 'Cleopatra' s there were? Did school tell you about where they came from? To call a black woman of generation stupid and not know the facts yourself is what's stupid.

[@pohiena2666]

I still can't believe someone used an honest “This was revealed to me in a dream” in a documentary trailer

[@AxelQC]

Modern filmmaking: cast POC in controversial role. When critics complain about the quality of the show, call them racists.

[@bi_cycle]

One of my favourite things about Cleopatra is that she was often described as not particularly attractive. She was interesting and alluring to people of the time because of her intelligence. I think that's a story that isn't often told. Sidenote: I fully thought that this was a fictional retelling when I first heard about it. I still wouldn't have appreciated it, but fiction is fiction. I'm a huge fan of Bridgerton, but they get criticised for their casting of Charlotte. But there is *such a huge difference* between a period fiction experimenting with race to tell an interesting story, and a documentary changing a race to suit a narrative

[@undertakernumberone1]

Dio tells us that she was exceptionally beautiful. A passage from Plutarch is sometimes mistakenly understood to contradict this, for he says that it was not so much her beauty that first struck an onlooker but her charm, personality and the gently musical tones of her voice. Thus he did not deny her beauty, but rather said there were other reasons for the powerful impact she had on men. Beauty proverbially is in the eye of the beholder, and different generations have had very different ideals of its perfection. It is not difficult to think of famous film stars who have captivated audiences and clearly possessed huge sex appeal without being unusually pretty. A person’s liveliness and animation have always been very difficult for a sculptor to capture, while such things are extremely unlikely to be conveyed by a coin portrait. Goldsworthy, Adrian; Dr Adrian Goldsworthy Ltd. Caesar (S.533-534). Orion. Kindle-Version.

[@teleriferchnyfain]

If Jada wanted to do an alternate history piece (like Bridgerton) more power to you. But she chose to do a documentary.

[@bi_cycle]

I agree! Or like The great. That show tells a true story, uplifting an important woman from history, but includes a lot of fiction and creative liberties.

[@evanevanf4033]

@@undertakernumberone1 weren’t people fuckheads back then who thought BABY faces were sexually attractive for both women AND men? Look at popular motifs of Buddha and tell me that I’m lying plus I think there have been forensics done and yeah, she wasn’t very “hot” also I think I heard she was inbred so yeah, no way 😂…

[@mattrondeau7466]

​@@undertakernumberone1She wasn't attractive. There were contemporary Roman busts made of her when she visited Rome. They're still around today. So we know what she looked like. Not hot.

[@randomaccess3369]

To your last point, as a random dude from a random town in central India one of the biggest inspiration to me in terms of fictional character was Superman, a literal alien. It helped through a very tough time in my life. The assumption that i can only derive that from someone who looks like me is downright shameful and disgusting to me. I enjoy the works of Shakespeare as much as Premchand. I look at my culture with the same fascination as Greek and Egyptian. Hell I am born a Hindu but my entire education took place in a Catholic school.

[@ontoverse]

I'm some random dude from northern Europe and I grew up reading the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana. Rama and Krishna were my superheroes, and growing up in a Lutheran society that was seen as really quite weird, indeed stranger than ET! Only a few generations ago I wouldn't have just be seen as weird but would have been beaten by the Priest for reading those books, but I'm very thankful I grew up in a more enlightened age. All human culture really belongs to all of us, it's our common heritage -- that's what I've found by reading myths and epics from all over the world. Our petty selves, wanting to own and possess, are transient anyhow -- well, at least that's what the Gita told me :D

[@abdelrahmanelnajar9639]

Thank you for this video. Seeing this trailer was very disappointing as an Egyptian. We're proud africans, and usually I wouldn't care, if it's a normal movie like The Mummy, but a documentary implies historical accuracy. Something that this mess certainly lacks.

[@annas4843]

As a Greek I m quite shocked how much people don’t want her to be Greek, is there something wrong with being Greek? She can’t be Greek, she must be mix raced, she was born in Africa it’s impossible she looked Greek, even if we accept she was Greek she could be a black Greek cause Greeks were black. What the..

[@patdaley9098]

@@annas4843 Who says she was not Macedonian??

[@annas4843]

@@patdaley9098 mmm Netflix? 😂 Feels like captain obvious

[@patdaley9098]

@@annas4843 Nope. Where does anyone say she is not Macedonian? Minute and second, pl

[@annas4843]

@@patdaley9098 mesopotanan? What the hell you are writing? 😅 drunk or high?

[@ellotheearthling]

Imagine this was a mockumentary but they forgot to label it as a mockumentary