LUPITA NYONG’O RESPONDS TO CRITICISM OVER THE ODYSSEY ROLE

Kenyan actor Lupita Nyong’o has responded to backlash regarding her casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey, saying that the cast reflects the diversity of the real world.

In an interview with Elle magazine, the Oscar-winning actress addressed online criticism of her dual portrayal of Helen and her sister Clytemnestra in the adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic. Much of the criticism appeared to focus on her race. “This is a mythological story. I’m very supportive of Chris’s intention with it and with the version of this story that he’s telling. Our cast is representative of the world. I am not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.“

She continued: “It’s quite something to be a part of The Odyssey because it is so grand. It spans worlds. So that’s why the cast is what it is. We’re occupying the epic narrative of our time. I can’t spend my time thinking about all the people who still don’t love me. You’ll find the representatives who believe in you, and you’ll get on with it. I want to believe I’m built to last.“

In January, Tesla founder Elon Musk claimed Nolan had “lost his integrity” over the casting decision. Musk was responding to a user on X (formerly Twitter) who described Helen traditionally known as “the face that launched a thousand ships” as “fair skinned, blonde.” Last week, Musk further fuelled controversy by agreeing with Daily Wire commentator Matt Walsh, who argued that “not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.‘”

Nyong’o rejected the notion that Helen’s value lies primarily in her physical appearance. “You can’t perform beauty. I want to know who a character is. What’s beyond beauty? What’s beyond looks?”  

Nolan did not directly respond to the backlash, he told Elle he was “absolutely desperate” for Nyong’o to accept the role. “The strength and the poise were so important to the character of Helen. And Lupita makes it look effortless. I am sure there’s a tremendous amount of discipline and training that goes into projecting that kind of poise and feeling the emotion bubbling beneath the character, the layers of the character right there underneath.”

The Odyssey features Matt Damon as the Greek hero Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, and Tom Holland as their son Telemachus. The cast also includes Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, and Benny Safdie as Agamemnon.