Netflix's 'Cleopatra' lands in hot waters

Netflix's new Cleopatra documentary was sued by an Egyptian lawyer Mahmoud al-Semary for depicting the queen as black.

According to Egypt Independent, the lawyer moved to take serious action against the documentary makers and ban the streaming service in Egypt following the release of the documentary’s trailer.

The attorney alleges Afrocentrism is promoted instead of Egyptian history in the documentary.

al-Semary dubbed the upcoming program on the historical figure as a “crime” and slammed Netflix’s management team for “forgery.”

“Most of what Netflix platform displays do not conform to Islamic and societal values and principles, especially Egyptian ones,” the case stated.

“In order to preserve the Egyptian national and cultural identity among Egyptians all over the world there must be pride in the makings of such work,” it added.

Former Egyptian Antiquities Minister Zahi Hawass also swiped at that documentary, saying, “falsifying facts,” adding, "This is completely fake. Cleopatra was Greek, meaning that she was blonde, not Black.”

Born in 69 BC, Queen Cleopatra, was the last monarch of the Ptolemaic dynasty.