CLEOPATRA: Gal Gadot Wears a Triple Crown as the Famous Pharaoh

Gal Gadot Wears a Triple Crown as Cleopatra VII

Gal Gadot will portray the wily monarch Cleopatra of ancient Egypt.

But not the crowns of three kingdoms, as did the descendant of Alexander the Great’s beloved general, Ptolemy V. Instead Ms. Gadot plays the eponymous character, joins with Laeta Kalogridis in writing the script (the first for Gadot), and functions as part of the producing team as well.

Ms. Gadot is, of course, no stranger to portraying strong women on the screen, reprising her role as Diana Prince in Batman vs. Superman: The Dawn of Justice for the 2017 film Wonder Woman and its sequel. In one sense the DC Comics franchises revived the character from the popular 1970’s television series in which Lynda Carter made the first female superhero a household name.

The question is: will Gadot’s success on the screen translate to another powerful woman, whose charisma as leader of a dynastic empire has rivaled that of any man in history? The answer lies in how close Gadot and Kalogridis stick to the facts, and how well the legend — or myth, if you’d rather — enhances the story. Certainly, as everyone knows, there is plenty of material in both realms.

Traditionally, Cleopatra’s presence on the screen, large and small, has been measured against the standard of classic Western beauty. The result has been pretty much the same. Among the most recognizable performers to American audiences are Theda Bara, Claudette Colbert, Vivian Leigh, Sophia Loren, and naturally, Elizabeth Taylor. (My personal favorite, so far, is Lyndsey Marshal’s performance in HBO’s Rome.)

Historians have questioned this depiction of beauty based on archeological evidence, but the tradition still lives on. And as such, Gal Gadot — as the sole cast member so far — passes muster under this standard, and then some.

The well-documented facts, however, concern Cleopatra the politician and her military savvy. It is generally believed that she used her formidable charisma to manipulate her lovers as effectively as she did her relatives and servants. It is quite likely that there had been some romance between her and Julius Caesar, and later, Marc Antony. But back then, the overwhelming moving and shaking was political, on the battlefield as well as the bedroom. A nation’s survival had to take precedence over the loyalty between the two hearts of their leaders, despite its romantic appeal. But by the same token, to be true to the politics of those days might require a dozen mini-series.

So, back to the question: What will the collaboration these three women — adding director Kari Skogland — bring to the big screen in the space of a few hours?

We consider that: Four of the six persons on the current filmmaking team had worked together on Wonder Woman, to its great success (this includes producers Patty Jenkins, Charles Roven, and Jaron Varsano); that Laeta Kalogridis had written the screenplay for Alexander; and Kari Skogland’s directorial experience with the Hulu series, The Handmaid’s Tale.

This project is just getting off the ground. By necessity, Cleopatra will likely focus on the trysted triumvirate of Caesar, Antony, and the Pharaoh herself, as explored in films past. But I think that the concerted talents here will just as likely give a fresh look and greater depth at the familiar intrigues.

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