Lupita Nyong’o isn’t backing down from the racist backlash over her casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming “The Odyssey,” and she’s making it crystal clear that mythology doesn’t require a specific skin tone.
The Oscar-winning actress sat down with Elle and addressed the firestorm that erupted when Elon Musk and conservative commentators attacked her role, with Musk claiming director Nolan was making a “DEI hire” to chase awards.
Nyong’o’s response was direct and unapologetic, reminding critics that they’re arguing about a fictional character from ancient mythology, not a historical figure.
“This is a mythological story,” she told the magazine, emphasizing that the cast reflects the world we actually live in. “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.”
She also dismissed the obsession with Helen being “the most beautiful woman in the world,” stating plainly that “you can’t perform beauty.”
Instead, she focused on the character’s depth and complexity, which matter far more than appearance when bringing a character to life.
What makes this moment particularly significant is the hypocrisy embedded in Hollywood’s casting history.
For decades, studios have cast white actors in roles meant to represent characters of color, from Scarlett Johansson in “Ghost in the Shell” to Emma Stone in “Aloha,” with barely a whisper of criticism.
Yet when a Black actress gets cast in a mythological role, suddenly everyone’s an expert on historical accuracy.
Nyong’o herself explained that after winning her Oscar for “12 Years a Slave,” she was repeatedly offered roles as enslaved women, a pattern she calls “disappointing, but not surprising.”
She said that Hollywood’s lack of imagination gets “exacerbated by the racial component,” meaning the industry’s creative bankruptcy becomes even more obvious when race enters the conversation.
According to Elle, director Nolan defended his choice completely, saying, “The strength and the poise were so important to the character of Helen. And Lupita makes it look effortless.”
The film, which also stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Travis Scott, Zendaya, and Tom Holland, hits theaters July 17 with a reported budget of $250 million.
Nyong’o’s final word on the matter was powerful: “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.”