Lupita Nyong’o has responded to the racist backlash against her casting as Helen of Troy in The Odyssey.
Christopher Nolan’s big screen adaptation of the epic Greek poem by Homer will see Matt Damon lead an all-star cast telling the story of Odysseus and his journey home from the Trojan War.
It is set to be released on July 17 and it will see Nyong’o taking on the dual roles of Helen of Troy, whose abduction triggers the war, and Clytemnestra, Helen’s sister. Her casting in the former role has triggered a reactionary backlash online, including from Elon Musk, who posted that Nolan was an “anti-white racist” who had lost his “integrity” for recruiting a Black woman to play Helen.
In a new interview with Elle, Nyong’o has addressed the controversy, reminding those who take issue with her casting that it is a “mythological story”.
“I’m very supportive of Chris’s intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling,” she said. “Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.”
“It’s quite something to be a part of The Odyssey,” she added. “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.”
She also praised Nolan for the way he directs actors, saying: “He has quite an enigmatic persona, but working with him was so accessible. He’s really great with actors. I felt supported. I felt challenged. And what I love most about his approach is that he really wants to know what the actors think. He really gives us the responsibility and the authority to advocate for our characters. You’re very much a part of consultations about hair, makeup, wardrobe, all of that.”
The cast will also feature Tom Holland also plays Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, while Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton and Mia Goth will also star.
Nolan recently explained why he cast rapper Travis Scott in the film, explaining that he wanted “to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap”.
The director has also confirmed that The Odyssey will have a shorter runtime than his previous movie, the Oscar Best Picture winner Oppenheimer, which clocked in at exactly three hours.