Elizabeth Taylor or Cleopatra? This Deepfake Video Will Leave You Confused

Deepfake technology uses artificial intelligence to create fictional images or cause major alterations in images and videos

By Edited by Gadgets 360 Newsdesk | Updated: 14 June 2021 15:19 IST

Elizabeth Taylor or Cleopatra? This Deepfake Video Will Leave You Confused

Photo Credit: Screenshot/ YouTube

Elizabeth Taylor played Cleopatra in the 1962 movie of the same name

Highlights

A YouTube video shows what Cleopatra would have looked like in real life
It uses deepfake tech to replace Elizabeth Taylor from the 1962 movie
Cleopatra's features were recreated from statues of the Egyptian queen

The more technology advances, it leaves us with so many more things to be fascinated by. Be it artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, technology, especially in a post-pandemic world, is set to not only progress to spectacular heights but also become more intricately associated with our daily lives. Take for instance this YouTube video that has been doing the rounds on the internet for its fascinating display of the use of Deepfake technology. Deepfake technology uses a form of artificial intelligence, called deep learning, to create fictional images, and also morph and superimpose alterations on images and videos.

In the video, we see Elizabeth Taylor's portrayal of the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra from the 1963 film Cleopatra being morphed with the queen's actual face using Deepfake technology. What that has resulted in are video clips where it seems as though we are watching Cleopatra in flesh and blood, moving around and speaking in the video clips from the 1963 film.

The creators, called Micano TV, mentioned in the description of the video that they simulated Cleopatra's face by digitally regenerating it based on the existing statues of the Egyptian ruler with the help of Deepfake technology. Then they superimposed it on Elizabeth Taylor's face in the movie clips. Isn't that so utterly fascinating?

Watch the video here:

The comments section has users expressing their amazement at both Cleopatra's beauty as well as the use of Deepfake technology, while also suggesting other historical figures that they would love to see in flesh and blood like they saw Cleopatra.

One user, Killington, said, “Would love to see Socrates or another ancient Greek philosopher” in a similar manner.

Another user, Kyle Burnett, commented, “Caesar next. Caligula would be interesting as well.”

Other suggestions included Adolf Hitler, former American President Abraham Lincoln, French queen Marie Antoinette, and even Alexander the Great.

One user, who went by the name Luke Chaos, looked at an alternative perspective and wrote, “Fascinating use of the technology to bring a statue alive but don't call it ‘real' Cleopatra: it will mislead people. This is an artist's impression based on another artist's impression, and only one, albeit an ancient one. It might be similar to the ‘real' Cleopatra, but on the other hand, some frescoes show her with red hair, some art shows her nose as thinner and more pointy, it may even be possible she had an Egyptian mother, which might change interpretations of her appearance. Without more evidence, we cannot say which are real or not.”

Another Youtuber called Lee Fly said, “Her face reminds me Alicia Vikander in ‘Man from UNCLE'”. What do you think of Cleopatra's Deepfake reimagination? Let us know in the comments.

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