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Zendaya is one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood. Having begun her career as a fashion model, she made her television debut as the character Rocky Blue in the Disney sitcomShake It Up(formerly known asDance Dance Chicago). Upon its premiere in late 2010, the show had the second-highest-rated premiere of Disney.
Zendaya made her feature film debut in 2017 when she appeared as Michelle in the superhero movieSpider-Man: Homecomingalongside Tom Holland. Since then, she has starred in numerous great movies and shows. Reportedly, the actress will be starring as the empress Cleopatra in Denis Villeneuve’s movie of the same name. However, fans seem to be unimpressed with theEuphoriaactress being cast as Cleopatra.
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Zendaya Starring as Cleopatra Is Not Sitting Well With Fans
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Cleopatra is one of the historical queens about whom Hollywood has made numerous movies. There have been numerous adaptations of the queen’s life and her rule over the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. It is believed that during her reign, she met some of the most influential leaders- including Julius Caesar.
The casting of actresses for the role of Cleopatra has long been a matter of debate; one thatGal Gadothad been the subject of when it was announced that she was going to portray the matriarch.
Now, with Zendaya rumored to portray the Egyptian queen, fans have once again expressed their displeasure about the casting by commenting on the original post holding the news onX(formerly Twitter):
Did they run out of Greek actresses?
— TERF ISLAND RULES🏴Rational Catholic (@Clairey_Frances)August 02, 2025
What’s hollywoods obsession with casting anyone but Greek people for cleopatra movies?
— azzurro (@azzurrochurro)June 05, 2025
This is Cleopatra. She wasn’t black.pic.twitter.com/cZtDJxiklL
— Noscito Ryan (@Noscito_Ryan)June 09, 2025
Whats their obsession with race swapping every character now
— Screen Wizard 🧙♂️ (@screenwizardz)June 21, 2025
great artist but not the right race for being cleopadra i won’t be watching this nosense, just because she’s famous doesn’t mean she has to be everywhere
— flora (@sempreflorasisi)June 15, 2025
Ummm, Cleopatra was of Greek ancestry.
— Courtney Benson (@courtneyamand13)July 04, 2025
I didn’t know Zendaya is Greek.
— Adrian Alex Poe (@adrianalexpoe)August 23, 2025
In fact, one fan even went into the ultimate serious mode to start beef with fellow Twitter users just to defend the iconic Greek empress.
She’s a real person not a made up story or character. Like casting an Asian woman for a Britney Spears biopic.
— azzurro (@azzurrochurro)July 02, 2025
Earlier this year, Netflix not only faced criticism but also got into legal trouble for casting the Black actressAdele Jamesas Cleopatra in its docudrama Queen Cleopatra. The only actress that fans do not mind seeing as Cleopatra is probablyElizabeth Taylor.
Also Read:Zendaya and Pedro Pascal Get Priority Access at HBO as Network Focuses on ‘Euphoria’ and ‘The Last of Us’ After Writers Strike Lifts Off
Denis Villeneuve Has Been Planning to Make Cleopatra For A While
Zendayahas been working withDenis Villeneuvefor quite some time now as she starred in Villeneuve’s movieDuneand its sequelDune 2which is set to be released later this year. Reportedly, this adaptation of Cleopatra might also see her co-starTimothée Chalametas Octavius andDaniel Craigas Caesar if the two of them accept the offer.
In 2020, while talking toTVA, theBlade Runner 2049director said:
“I also have a historical film project on the life of Cleopatra. This project is underway and it excites me a lot. I hope I can bring it to the screen before or after filming the second part of Dune.”
The production of this historical film is supposed to begin in 2024 with a screenplay that is said to be written by David Scarpa based on Stacey Sciff’s best-selling book. Hopefully, Villeneuve will make the right choice for the casting.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
