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An Egyptian lawyerÌý a complaint before the prosecutor-general last week, calling for shutting down the California-based Netflix streaming platform in Egypt after it had announced the release of a docudrama series depicting a black-skinned Queen Cleopatra, which sparked a massive discussion across the country.

Mahmoud El-Semary accused the streaming platform of "attempting to erase the Egyptian identity," local news outlets .

Semary further claimed that "most of what Netflix displays contradicts Islamic and societal values and principles," and also accused the show of "promoting Ìýthat aims to distort the Egyptian identity."

Queen was born in Egypt's MediterraneanÌýcity of Alexandria in 69 BC and belonged to a Greek-speaking dynasty. She was Macedonian-Greek on her father Ptolemy XII's side. Cleopatra ruled over Ancient Egypt fromÌý51 to 30 BCÌýand was the last ruler of theÌýPtolemaic Kingdom.

Some historians argue that the ethnicity of her mother is unknown and that it is possible for her mother to be African. But prominent Egyptologist Zahi Hawas begs to differ.

In an with the local Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper, Hawas described the depiction of Cleopatra in the Netflix docudrama series as "a total forgery of facts."

"Cleopatra was Greek, meaning she was blonde, not black," he said. "The aim was promoting for the fact that the Egyptian civilisation was black….this [claim] is baseless."

Netflix's management, meanwhile, could not be reached for comment at the time of publishing.

The show is scheduled to be released on 10 May starring Adele James.

This was not the first time Cleopatra became a subject of debate. In October 20202, the choice of Israeli actress Gal Gadot to play the role of Cleopatra in a Hollywood film sparked an outcry in Egypt, despite a state of technical peace with the Zionist state.

Netflix, itself, has not escape scrutiny by Egyptian authorities. In September last year, Egypt'sÌýSupreme Council for Media Regulation called on NetflixÌýand similar services to abide by the county's "societal values," in reference to shows featuring members of the LGBTQ community.