Do you know what it means to walk like an Egyptian? This podcast episode centers around the representation of Egyptians in the media. Egyptians are often portrayed across media from a European and American colonialism lens. Examples include “The Mummy” (1999), “Cleopatra” (1963), and “Gods of Egypt” (2010). Many of these movies were criticized for inaccurate portrayals and representation. The characters in “Gods of Egypt” were white and spoke in British accents; additionally, Elizabeth Taylor, a white woman, played the character of Cleopatra in the 1963 film. Aside from inaccurate racial depictions, the customs and culture of Egyptians are often portrayed with many inaccuracies. We sat down with Mariam Ali, a first-generation Egyptian student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to have a candid conversation about the representation of Egyptians across media. We discuss the origins of representation, popular media portrayals, harmful tropes and how to change the conversation around the representation of Egyptians in media.
Guest: Mariam Ali