Netflix has had its fair share of controversies of the years, with more recent examples stemming from the streamer’s password-sharing crackdown, the decision to pull the plug on the DVD-by-Mail service, and outcry concerning The Crown’s fifth season following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. But in April 2023, the popular streaming service weathered one of its biggest storms yet when it was announced that the upcoming docudrama, Queen Cleopatra, would feature a Black actress as the last Egyptian pharaoh.
If you haven’t been following the story ahead of the new on Netflix title, or came into the drama part way through, don’t worry, because we’re about to break it all down with sections on the initial outcry, the Egyptian response, and what the cast and crew have said.
