Thandie Newton recreates Cleopatra

London: Actress Thandie Newton stepped into the shoes of Queen Cleopatra for a photoshoot and the results were smouldering. The `Crash` actress posed for a series of black and white shoots in the garb of the Egyptian queen, reported a news website. The 37-year-old actress posed for the pictures to mark the launch of this year`s Virgin Media Shorts competition, which champions undiscovered UK film talent. One of the photographs show her reclining on a chairin a flowing dress with a bejewelled crown on her head, while others are close-ups of her face. Newton follows in the footsteps of Elizabeth Taylor and most recently, Kim Cattrall in playing the infamous Egyptian queen. It was Taylor, 78, who really made the role her own when she starred in the 1963 Hollywood production of the story of Anthony and Cleopatra. Starring alongside Richard Burton and Rex Harrison, the actress was the epitome of beauty at the time and set the benchmark for other Cleopatra`s to be measured against. PTI