Colour Blind Casting

[Anomalocaris]

I recently read an article reporting that some people are in high dudgeon over Gal Gadot being cast as Cleopatra in an upcoming film. This is mostly based on the unfounded and unproven notion that Cleopatra was a woman of colour.

Clearly, there are some roles where the ethnic appearance of the actor should reflect that of the historical figure that they’re portraying (this is why you never see a Japanese playing Abraham Lincoln, for example, or an Irishman playing Nelson Mandela), but I think this flap over Gadot is nonsense.

Boru

Obviously Gal Godot unfairly appropriated the role from an actress who shared the cleopatra’s inbred ancestry.

Even worse, she lacked the hooked nose and round face seen on cleopatra’s own coins.

I think there are kinds of historic play or film in which visual authenticity of characters Would be important.   But others where pursuit of such authenticity stands in the way of applying the best available acting talent to reflect the Inner thoughts, moods, and predilections of the characters the film or play focuses on reflecting.   The well reviewed broadway play “Hamilton” is a good example of latter.   So a Japanese certainly should not be barred from playing Lincoln nor a Irish playing Mandela.  It depends on the structure and intent of the rest of the film or play.