Majority of Arab News poll respondents happy Gal Gadot will play Cleopatra
The editors of the website seemed surprised by the results, headlining the article, “Shockingly, most Arab News readers in favor of Israeli actress Gal Gadot as Cleopatra.”
By HANNAH BROWNActor Gal Gadot arrives to attend the National Board of Review awards gala in New York, U.S., January 9, 2018(photo credit: LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS)
While some have criticized the casting of Gal Gadot as Cleopatra in an upcoming film – because although Cleopatra was Greek, Gadot is seen as a politically incorrect choice because she is Israeli and white – over 70% of respondents to an Arab News Twitter poll have no problem with the idea of Gadot playing this role.The poll was conducted last week by the Saudi Arabian website Arab News, and presumably a high portion of the respondents were Arab. A clear majority of those who weighed in – 61% – answered “Yes” to the question: “Do you think Israeli actress Gal Gadot is suitable for the role of Cleopatra?”Another 12% said “Let’s decide once we see,” and only 27% answered, “No.”Even the editors of the website seemed surprised by the results, headlining the article, “Shockingly, most Arab News readers in favor of Israeli actress Gal Gadot as Cleopatra.”Many respondents weighed in on Twitter stating the obvious: that there is no reason why Gadot should not portray a heroine of Greek ancestry. One Twitter user, @TeddysMom8, pointed out that, “If [Egyptian actor] Omar Sharif could play Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl, beauty Gal Gadot can play Cleopatra.”Some tweeted pictures of the most famous screen Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor, who was Jewish at the time she played the role, having converted when she married Eddie Fisher.Others noted that the casting and timing of this movie were announced in the wake of the signing of the peace accords between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.@Monahassan1111 wrote: “It is not a coincidence that actor Gal Gadot would represent Cleopatra and that coincided with the peace processes in the Middle East... Any way Art maybe [sic] success[ful] to achieve peace with ppl and create Dialogue language between ppl [is] instead limited with Diplomatic room!”In 2017, Lebanon banned Gadot’s blockbuster movie, Wonder Woman, from playing in theaters there because she is Israeli and served in the Israeli army. The movie also did not play in Palestinian theaters in the West Bank and Gaza, although many Arab superhero fans reportedly managed to watch the movie online.Wonder Woman was shown in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
Patty Jenkins, who directed Gadot in Wonder Woman and its sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, which is set to be released in December, will also direct Cleopatra, which is currently in pre-production.
