Rumours of Lupita Nyong’o Casting Trigger Online Backlash

Rumours that Lupita Nyong’o may play Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming adaptation of The Odyssey have prompted an intense online dispute over race, tradition and representation in film.

Speculation about the casting emerged after Lupita was listed among the film’s ensemble, though no role has been confirmed. Nolan’s production is set to feature Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Zendaya as Athena and Charlize Theron as Circe. 

With most major female roles apparently assigned, some online commentators have assumed that Lupita could be portraying Helen, whose abduction led to the Trojan War. That assumption has driven a sharp backlash on social media. Critics argue that such casting would conflict with traditional interpretations of Homer’s epic, citing descriptions of Helen in ancient poetry as “white-armed” or “fair-faced”. 

Elon Musk, owner of X, amplified these claims by reposting a comment calling the rumoured casting “an insult” to Homer. While Homer offers limited physical detail, later artistic traditions have often depicted Helen as fair-skinned and blonde.

The criticism has also been taken up by far-right figures. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones circulated images of Lupita from her role in 12 Years a Slave to argue she was unsuitable for the part. 

Lupita supporters have challenged the basis of the criticism. They note that none of the leading actors in Nolan’s film are of Greek origin and argue that objections framed as protecting cultural authenticity are selectively applied. 

Others point out that The Odyssey is a mythological work and that Helen, described as the daughter of Zeus and Leda and born from an egg, is not a historical figure bound by modern ideas of ethnicity.

Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra faced objections from Egyptian officials in 2023 over the portrayal of the ruler by British actress Adele James. Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid prompted sustained racialised criticism after Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel, despite the character’s fictional status. 

By contrast, films such as Gods of Egypt and Prince of Persia, which featured predominantly white casts in stories rooted in non-European cultures, generated far less sustained opposition. 

Nolan has not commented on Nyong’o’s role, and no official casting announcement has been made.