'Black Hannibal'? Denzel Washington casting sparks fury in Tunisia
Tunisians are angry about Denzel Washington's casting as Hannibal.
Denzel Washington's recent casting as the ancient Carthaginian general Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua's upcoming Netflix movie has sparked controversy in Tunisia, Hannibal's country of origin.
French newspaper Courrier International reported complaints from both media outlets and members of the Tunisian parliament regarding the depiction of Hannibal as a Black African. Member of Parliament Yassine Mami argues that Hannibal, born in Carthage (modern-day Tunis) in 247 BC, was of West Asian Semitic origin. Mami expressedconcerns about the potential falsification of history, stating that a clear position on this matter is needed.
Tunisian culture minister Hayet Ketat-Guermazi took a more pragmatic stance, acknowledging the fictional nature of the film. She notedthat while Hannibal is a historical figure from Tunisia, it is within Netflix's rights to portray him as they see fit. Ketat-Guermazi is in negotiations with Netflix to shoot part of the film in Tunisia, aiming to revive the country as a location for foreign film productions.
This controversy in Tunisia parallels similar debates globally over historical accuracy in casting choices. The situation is reminiscent of the uproar in Egypt surrounding the casting of actress Adele James of British-Jamaican heritage as Cleopatra in Netflix's Queen Cleopatra. In that case, Egyptian academics protested the portrayal of Cleopatra as not being of Black descent.
As for the film itself, the untitled Netflix production, written by John Logan, explores the life of Hannibal during the Second Punic War. The movie aims to depict Hannibal's role as a military commander leading the Carthaginians against the Roman Republic.
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At present, there is no comment from Netflix, Denzel Washington, or Antoine Fuqua on the controversy. The film reunites Fuqua and Washington following their collaboration on The Equalizer 3. Additionally, Washington is involved in the upcoming sequel to Ridley Scott's Gladiator.