Nolan Casts Lupita Nyong'o in $250 Million Odyssey, Igniting Helen of Troy Backlash

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 10

$250 million all-IMAX "Odyssey" has triggered a social-media firestorm after Christopher Nolan cast Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy.
The backlash centers on critics who call casting a Black actress as Helen a betrayal of Homer, framing it as a "woke" rewrite of a foundational Western myth.
Elon Musk amplified the dispute on X by accusing Nolan of "pissing on Homer's grave," while Donald Trump Jr. and commentator Matt Walsh also attacked the choice.
Defenders argue authenticity complaints are misplaced for a mythic figure and note ancient Greeks did not view race in modern terms, though the casting is still seen as a deliberate contrast with 2004's "Troy."

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