Oscar-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o has been cast in the dual roles of both Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra in Christopher Nolan's upcoming film ‘The Odyssey,' a reinterpretation of Homer’s epic. But this decision has not come without controversy.
Ahead of its release, the film has been heavily hyped while remaining largely shrouded in secrecy, but has also faced scrutiny following a recent Time magazine cover story that revealed Nyong’o has been cast as Helen of Troy, described in Homer’s classic as "the most beautiful woman in the world" and “the face that launched a thousand ships” into war.
Nyong’o has been targeted with racist backlash online over the casting, including from Elon Musk, but she has also gained support, with many pointing out that Helen of Troy is a fictional character with no specific physical traits.
Indeed, Hollywood has come a long way, but it still has a long road ahead towards true equality and inclusiveness. Casting choices are a particular sore spot, as white actors are cast as people of color, able-bodied actors are cast as disabled characters, and cisgender actors are cast in transgender roles—putting marginalized actors out of work. Even films aiming to show an underrepresented community stumble with issues like colorism—prejudice or discrimination against darker skin tones within the same racial group.
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