Elon Musk Slams ‘The Odyssey’ Casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy

*Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic “The Odyssey” has become a cultural flashpoint well before its July 17 theatrical release, with Elon Musk once again targeting the filmmaker’s casting decisions. The billionaire’s latest criticism centers on Nolan’s choice of Lupita Nyong’o to portray Helen of Troy — a role Nolan confirmed to Time magazine, along with the revelation that Nyong’o will take on the dual part of both Helen and her sister Clytemnestra.

The renewed backlash was sparked after conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted criticism of the casting on Musk’s platform X. Walsh wrote, “Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’ But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called racist if he gave the ‘most beautiful woman’ role to a white woman. Nolan is technically talented but a coward.” Musk responded with a single word: “True.”

A separate post found Musk weighing in after another user raised questions about directors who change the racial identity of historically white characters. Musk’s response pointed to awards season strategy, writing, “He wants the awards” — a move critics online interpreted as Nolan positioning the film to qualify under the Academy’s diversity standards tied to Best Picture consideration.

Fun fact: Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey” cast already chased away half the audience – and it’s the EDUCATED half that would actually appreciate a movie like this:

Matt Damon: Called a Trump presidency “nervous-making” and said there’s no way we can let this guy be the president.… pic.twitter.com/HyqQ9306Ss

— Byl Holte (@SirBylHolte) May 7, 2026

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences now requires films to meet diversity and inclusion benchmarks to qualify for Best Picture consideration. Known as the RAISE standards — Representation and Inclusion Standards for Excellence — the requirements took effect with the 96th Oscars cycle covering films released in 2023. To be eligible, a film must satisfy at least two of four established criteria.

The first standard focuses on on-screen representation, qualifying if a lead or significant supporting actor comes from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group, or if at least 30 percent of actors in secondary and minor roles represent at least two underrepresented communities (including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities). A film can also meet this standard if its central story or themes are rooted in the experience of an underrepresented group.

The controversy over those very standards has put Nolan squarely in Musk’s crosshairs more than once. Per Deadline, earlier this year, when Nyong’o’s involvement was still rumored, Musk described the potential casting as an “insult” to Homer, arguing the ancient poet had depicted Helen as “fair skinned, blonde, and ‘the face that launched a thousand ships’ because she was so beautiful that men started a war over her.”

Nolan, meanwhile, has been fielding questions about other casting choices as well. The filmmaker explained his decision to bring rapper Travis Scott into the project, saying, “I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap.” Scott is rumored to be playing Demodocus, a court poet in the Greek epic known for performing songs about the Trojan War, though the role has not been officially confirmed.

The casting controversy extends beyond Nyong’o. Rumors that Elliot Page may be portraying the legendary warrior Achilles have drawn their own wave of criticism, most notably from Newsmax anchor Rob Finnerty, who used a segment on the far-right network to attack the potential casting. Finnerty referred to Page — who is a transgender man — as “a transgender woman,” saying “The most famous warrior in all of history, not just Greek history, Achilles, is about to be played by a transgender woman in a brand new movie.”

Finnerty invoked Brad Pitt’s portrayal of Achilles in the film “Troy” to argue that the role demanded a different type of casting. “We’ve gone from Brad Pitt to a girl who dresses as a guy, who’s 5’1”, 118 pounds,” Finnerty said. “That’s the person who is going to be playing the greatest warrior in history because, to the left, that is normal.”

Page’s role has not been officially confirmed, though a brief shot in the film’s trailer showing the actor in a dim, underworld-like setting has fueled widespread speculation that the actor is playing the ghost of Achilles.

The casting debate is further complicated by the source material underpinning the script itself. “The Odyssey” draws from Emily Wilson’s 2017 version of Homer, titled “Homer Without Heroes” — the first major English translation of the work completed by a woman. Wilson’s adaptation is recognized for centering perspectives that earlier male-authored versions of the text had largely pushed aside.

Made on an estimated budget of $250 million, the project represents the biggest financial undertaking of Nolan’s directing career. Matt Damon leads the cast as Odysseus, joined by Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, and John Leguizamo.

MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Christopher Nolan Unveils New Trailer for ‘The Odyssey,’ a Global IMAX Epic | WATCH

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