Netflix’ recent addition to the African Queens series, the documentary “Queen Cleopatra,” has become embroiled in controversy and accusations of “blackwashing” due to the casting of Adele James, a black actress, in the titular role. Critics point out that historical records indicate Cleopatra was of Macedonian-Greek descent rather than black.

Released on May 10, the documentary has unfortunately failed to garner significant viewership and has faced severe criticism. Its abysmal 2% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes has even earned it the title of the lowest-rated film in the site’s history, while the “average Tomatometer” stands at a mere 10%.

To put this rating into perspective, even the worst-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes, such as “Ballistic: Ecks Vs Sever” (2002) and “One Missed Call” (2008), both achieved a 0% Tomatometer rating but managed to secure 20% audience approval. Similarly, the critically panned “Left Behind” (2014) earned 0% from critics but still managed to attain a 22% audience score. Forbes reports that Tina Gharvi, the creator of the series, has defended the casting decision, stating:

“Why should Cleopatra not be portrayed as a woman of color? Why do some individuals insist on Cleopatra being white? It appears that her proximity to whiteness is seen as valuable, and for certain Egyptians, it holds significant importance. After an extensive search and numerous auditions, we discovered in Adele James an actress who beautifully embodies Cleopatra’s beauty and strength. Historically speaking, it is more likely that Cleopatra resembled Adele rather than Elizabeth Taylor.”

Despite the controversy, the documentary continues to spark debates about representation in historical storytelling and challenges long-standing assumptions about Cleopatra’s appearance.