AgentRXS October 6, 2021 Share October 6, 2021 Jada Pinkett Smith EP’s a series about history’s most iconic African queens. Season 1 will cover Njinga, the fearless 17th century warrior queen of Matamba and Ndongo. Season 2 will cover Cleopatra — one of history's most powerful yet misunderstood women. Season 1 now streaming on Netflix! Link to comment
Enero February 27, 2023 Share February 27, 2023 This was a great docu-drama. Njinga was intelligent, strategic, extremely tough and courageous. I’ve not read the biography on her but have bought the book from Amazon and plan to read. Despite this being a great watch, it was difficult because knowing history Njinga’s long fight though valiant would not end the way she desired, at least not long term. Eventually the Portuguese would get their way. I hope this will be a series that adds future seasons that explores the history of other African Queens and black female leaders of the Caribbean during the 18th and 19th centuries. Link to comment
DanaK March 2, 2023 Share March 2, 2023 On 10/5/2021 at 8:51 PM, AgentRXS said: Coming soon to Netflix! Just to point out, they swapped the subjects around; Season 1 is on Njinga and Season 2 on Cleopatra. Also to note, Season 1 is 4 episodes; it's possible Season 2 will be as well Link to comment
AgentRXS March 9, 2023 Author Share March 9, 2023 On 3/2/2023 at 3:01 PM, DanaK said: Just to point out, they swapped the subjects around; Season 1 is on Njinga and Season 2 on Cleopatra. Also to note, Season 1 is 4 episodes; it's possible Season 2 will be as well Edited post! Thank you. Link to comment
DanaK April 15, 2023 Share April 15, 2023 Season 2, on Cleopatra drops May 10, with 4 episodes Press release and trailer http://www.thefutoncritic.com/video/2023/04/12/video-queen-cleopatra-official-trailer-netflix-125312/20230412netflix04/ Link to comment
DanaK April 21, 2023 Share April 21, 2023 Apparently Egyptians are big mad at Cleopatra being portrayed as possibly Black. The director talks about Season 2 https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/queen-cleopatra-black-netflix-egypt-1235590708/ Link to comment
Tenshinhan May 2, 2023 Share May 2, 2023 It was probably a mistake for Pinkett to even include Cleopatra to begin with. She claims that she wants to represent Black women with the series, and yet chooses a Greek ruler from colonized Egypt? 1 Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 Okay, since this is about dead royals and the site's primarily about TV, Here's an example of how NOT to discuss a historical documentary you've not seen yet. I just binged it last night, and it's not particularly good. It's also a bit racist. But as the reviewer hadn't seen it yet, it's totally clueless. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/05/02/opinion/netflix-queen-cleopatra-black/ Link to comment
ancslove May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 I hate that this has become a cultural flashpoint. Historical fiction dramas can cast whom they want, and I’d have no problem with Adele James’ casting in something like a Starz series. (Please, Starz, make a Cleopatra series!). But as for JPS’ stated purpose here, there are so many Egyptian queens who really were Egyptian and whose stories deserve to be known. Couldn’t she have picked Hatshepsut or Tiye or Nerfertiti or someone whose name I don’t even know?! 2 Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 13 minutes ago, ancslove said: Historical fiction dramas can cast whom they want, I agree, but sometimes they get in trouble if they do it wrong (a Black woman as Anne Bolyen, just doesn't work unless Henry VIII and the rest of the court are as well, or it's an entirely fantasy situation like SIX) However, and this is the main point, this is NOT historical fiction. This is a dramatic DOCUMENTARY, one of whose argument was that Cleo was BLACK in order to instill racial and ethnic pride in African Americans. 3 1 Link to comment
ancslove May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 Yep, and considering Cleopatra was the last of a family of imperialist conquerors, she’s an odd choice to cling to. Plus the Ptolemies were infamous for marrying each other because they didn’t want Egyptian blood “tainting” their power. Cleo’s younger half sister Arsinoe would’ve been a better choice, because her mother likely was a concubine of mixed race. Plus Arsinoe was cool and tragic and needs to be more known! 2 Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 2 minutes ago, ancslove said: Cleo’s younger half sister Arsinoe would’ve been a better choice, because her mother likely was a concubine of mixed race. Plus Arsinoe was cool and tragic and needs to be more known! She's in there, but her death is treated like it was a nice thing to do. (she's also depicted as Subsaharan as were Ptolomies 12, 13 and 14). 1 Link to comment
MissLucas May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 As a drama nobody would mind. As a documentary you'll have to deal with accusations of pushing a Hotep agenda. That said casting Cleopatra has become a nightmare in the current climate. You'd basically need someone with Greek/Macedonian, a bit of Coptic and maybe some sub-Saharan DNA. Good luck with that. What I don't understand is why JPS did not cover the Kushite queens? Plenty of good stories there. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ancient-africa-queens-nubia 1 Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 (edited) On 4/21/2023 at 7:00 AM, DanaK said: Apparently Egyptians are big mad at Cleopatra being portrayed as possibly Black Not possibly Black. DEFINATELY Black. Promoting the notorious historical lie was the whole point of this entire season. The History was bad, the acting was mediocre, and the whole thing was a shambles. This was worse than the History Channel's "It was ALIENS!!!!" series. https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/why-everyone-hates-netflixs-cleopatra Edited May 14, 2023 by Notwisconsin I found this and it fits. Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 (edited) The objections to Gal Godot were pure antisemitism. They objected to her because she's Israeli and they hate Israel and all things Jewish. A really good podcast on the subject of the series in question: https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/why-everyone-hates-netflixs-cleopatra Edited May 14, 2023 by Notwisconsin 1 Link to comment
BookEater May 14, 2023 Share May 14, 2023 I had always thought Cleopatra was ethnically more white than black? Is that even a question anymore? Queen Tiye would be a good subject for a fictional historical drama, and she was Nubian/Saharan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiye She was one of the most illustrious ancient Egyptian Queens, the mother in law of Nefertiti and probably the grandmother of Tutankhamen, she died in her early 60’s and a lock of her hair was found in his tomb. 1 Link to comment
Morrigan2575 May 15, 2023 Share May 15, 2023 (edited) On 5/14/2023 at 5:46 PM, BookEater said: had always thought Cleopatra was ethnically more white than black? I We don't even know if she had any black in her. Her Grandmother is the question mark, no one knows who she was but, that doesn't mean she was Sub-Saharan and most probably wasn't. Every recorded detail (coins, busts, paintings) of Cleopatra is of a Greek/Mediterranean looking woman. Even in writings from Rome, where she lived for 2 years there's no mention of her being anything else. I wouldn't even care if this wasn't labeled a documentary. ETA: the other thing that bugs me...they have her fighting/practiceing with a sword. Cleopatra was a scholar and, a politician she wasn't Xena Warrior Princess. 🙄 Edited May 16, 2023 by Morrigan2575 2 Link to comment
Tenshinhan May 19, 2023 Share May 19, 2023 On 5/14/2023 at 5:45 PM, Notwisconsin said: The objections to Gal Godot were pure antisemitism. Somehow I doubt this. Quote They objected to her because she's Israeli and they hate Israel and all things Jewish. Who is "they"? On 5/14/2023 at 5:46 PM, BookEater said: I had always thought Cleopatra was ethnically more white than black? Is that even a question anymore? Apparently it is to Jada. Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 19, 2023 Share May 19, 2023 3 hours ago, Tenshinhan said: Somehow I doubt this. Who is "they"? Apparently it is to Jada. The people who objected to Gal Gadot were entirely antisemitic supporters of Palestinian revanchism. https://7news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/casting-of-white-actress-gal-gadot-as-cleopatra-draws-anger-but-for-misguided-reason-c-1381497 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54529836 Link to comment
Tenshinhan May 19, 2023 Share May 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Notwisconsin said: The people who objected to Gal Gadot were entirely antisemitic supporters of Palestinian revanchism. Absolutely nothing in those articles you posted indicates any kind of anti-Semitism. Only one poorly conceived suggestion by an Israeli journalist that alludes to Jewish exclusion from casting. Far from "pure anti-Semitism". Also, it is very destructive and misguided to falsely equate antisemitism with support for Palestinians. Link to comment
Notwisconsin May 19, 2023 Share May 19, 2023 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Tenshinhan said: Absolutely nothing in those articles you posted indicates any kind of anti-Semitism. Only one poorly conceived suggestion by an Israeli journalist that alludes to Jewish exclusion from casting. Far from "pure anti-Semitism". Also, it is very destructive and misguided to falsely equate antisemitism with support for Palestinians. yeah, it does. Excluding Jews for being Jewish when there's no reason to do so is antisemitic. Also, wanting to destroy the lives of Every jew in the middle east is antisemitic as well. But that's starting to get off-topic. The producers of THAT film were never saying that Cleo was Jewish. The producers of THIS film were proclaiming that she was BLACK. That was the whole point of the thing. Edited May 19, 2023 by Notwisconsin Link to comment
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