Lupita Nyong'o Addresses Racist Reactions to Her Helen of Troy Casting

Lupita Nyong’o  has responded to the racist backlash against her casting as Helen of Troy in  The Odyssey .

- READ MORE: ‘The Odyssey’ could be Christoper Nolan’s biggest blockbuster yet

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.

The post Lupita Nyong’o responds to racist backlash over Helen Of Troy casting in ‘The Odyssey’ appeared first on NME .

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