An alumnus of Richmond upon Thames College has achieved remarkable success after being cast as the lead in the new Netflix docuseries, Queen Cleopatra.

Adele James, who studied a BTEC in acting at the college in Twickenham, will star alongside Jada Pinkett-Smith, Craig Russell and John Partridge, in the series based on the life of Egypt's last pharaoh.

There has been some pushback in Egypt over the casting of a black actress in the role. This has been rejected by the director, Tina Gharavi, who argued that Adele was cast because she is 'an actor who could convey not only Cleopatra's beauty, but also her strength'.

The director also pointed out that Adele is a far more accurate representation of the real Cleopatra than the most famous screen portrayal by Elizabeth Taylor.

Adele and acting teacher, Jane Swift (Credit Netflix)

Adele, who is a multitalented performer, first established herself in 2018 as a screenwriter, with her debut award-winning short film, Last Call. 

Following that project, she started to develop her own original TV concepts with major broadcasters and production companies, including Channel 4.

Before her Netflix debut, which airs today, Adele's best-known role was starring as Christina 'Tina' Mollett in the long-running BBC drama, Casualty.

Adele studied BTEC Acting during her time as a student at RuTC.

Actor 'conveys not only Cleopatra's beauty, but also her strength' (Credit Netflix)

Her delighted acting teacher, Jane Swift, said: "I am beyond proud and pleased for Adele for achieving a lead role in a ground-breaking series for the largest streaming platform in the world! 

"Adele was an extremely hard working, conscientious student and this has carried over into her working life, she is a hugely talented actress as

well as a down-to-earth, kind individual who has given back to the college in many ways since leaving. 

"We are looking forward to seeing the docuseries and cheering her on from the side-lines as she continues to forge an illustrious career for herself."