Film, Roles and Race

News that Angelina Jolie may play the iconic Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, portrayed in this sculpture circa 40 BC, right, in a film based on the biography "Cleopatra: A Life" has not been universally well received. Some naysayers believe that a white actress should not play an African queen, but others argue Cleopatra was of Greek descent. "I think this stems from a long-held frustration regarding the access of minority actors to leading roles. It's bad enough that the are far less likely to be cast in those roles in general, and it's downright galling to them that in roles in which they are perceived as having a natural advantage they are still getting beaten out," Andrew Wallenstein, editor of The Hollywood Reporter's website told CNN.com. (Getty Images)