Back in June news hit the media airwaves about Angelina Jolie being cast as the last Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in a film based on Stacy Schiff's book Cleopatra: A Life. And get this, the book isn't even out yet. Even though the book isn't due out until this coming fall, producer Scott Rudin has already bought the rights to the film stating this film is being developed for Angelina Jolie. Author Schiff has hinted to Brad Pitt playing Roman general Marc Anthony mimicking 1963's Cleopatra starring then couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
Just Me: So now the controversy as if I have to explain it right? What the heck is a white woman doing playing an African queen? But we've seen this already in the 1963 version with Elizabeth Taylor. At a young age I remember seeing some of this movie when it aired on television. And after learning Egypt was in Africa and Black people came from Africa, I thought to myself "This white lady (Taylor) is African?". Hmmm...I think not. But it's no different than all those wonderful pictures I saw when I was little of Jesus with the stringy hair and blue eyes. 
And then imagine my dismay as I grew older, learned a little geography and realized where Jerusalem was located. Now I'm not turning this into a religious commentary. I just want to ask you, how many white people do you know from Jerusalem? Thought so....moving on.
Now I can't say I'm outraged at this casting choice [of Jolie]. However I am HIGHLY FREAKIN' IRRITATED. But yet not surprised. Are we really surprised that a country where major media outlets racially mock and deliberately disrespect their President would actually develop a film about one of the most powerful woman on this planet who happened to be Black? Na. And I'm not mad at Angelina Jolie either. She is undoubtedly a beautiful, talented actress who I know could more than handle the role. I don't blame her for wanting to play Cleopatra. I wouldn't turn down the role either. And if this story was about a fictional character then fine. But a true story about an African queen should be played by someone of color. Shucks anyone of color. I'd settle for a freakin' Native American or Arab. But a white woman? Come on. Can she at least be mixed? I'll bet in 20 years when they do some big film production of Michael Jackson's life film producers will want Justin Timberlake playing the grown-up Michael J. with Justin Beiber playing little Michael. I can just see it now.
What do you think about Angelina Jolie being cast in this role?
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You make some really good points
Your points are absolutely valid. Angelina Jolie was definitely chosen because of her mass appeal. But I don't think this story even needs a well-known actress. There are so many wonderful movies that 'made' stars who no one ever heard of before. If the story and script are good, then you just need talent whether they're known or not. There are a great number of black actresses out there. And your 'token' pick, Zoe Saldana, is actually a good choice to me. She has the crossover appeal with 'Avatar'. I would have been satisfied if they chose her even.
Cleopatra and Jolie
One would think in this day and age, filmmakers would attempt to be more realistic in their presentations. Back when Liz Taylor's version of Cleopatra debuted, apartheid was still alive and well in the U.S. and the mainstream was not about to embrace a person of color in the role of Cleopatra. Sadly I believe that the train of thought still exists today in a more subtler form called "cross-over appeal." If it's not accepted by the mainstream, Hollywood considers it to be an ethnic film with limited box office success. Scott Rudin is merely looking at Jolie's appeal to the masses, particularly the mainstream and screw the fact that Cleo was African and not European like Jolie. What's even sadder is that if he wanted to use a well-known woman of color for this project, the pickings are slim in terms of "cross-over" appeal. Hollywood has its token black actors - Will Smith and Denzel. The token female at the moment is Zoe Saldana. There are plenty of talented women of color out there, but Hollywood has a powerful turnstile in place that only lets one black actress in at a time or none at all at times.
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