By Jailene Giron
Just two months before the premiere of the film “The Odyssey”, based on the classic work attributed to Homer, the actress Lupita Nyong’o spoke out about the series of criticisms that have arisen due to her casting as ‘Helen of Troy’, a character who in literary tradition has been described as “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
In a chat with Elle magazine, The star of “A Unruffled Put Day One” and “Black Panther” faced negative comments that questioned whether an actress of African descent played ‘Helen of Troy’ in the Christopher Nolan production, developed by Universal Shots.
In a forceful manner, Lupita Nyong’o clarified that the adaptation of “The Odyssey” made by Nolan corresponds to a mythological story and not a historical representation, which is why she prefers to ignore the negative comments.
“I very much support Chris’ intention with this story and the version he is telling. Our cast is representative of the world. I don’t waste time thinking about defending myself. Criticism will exist whether you address it or not.“He declared to the magazine.
Regarding the beauty standards attributed to the character from literary tradition, the 43-year-old famous woman said she was indifferent and questioned forcefully:
“You cannot interpret beauty. What is beyond beauty? What is beyond appearance? That is the key when working with such a well-known text, which has been studied, interpreted and from which many solutions have been derived. The investigation could be endless,” he stressed.
Finally, Nyong’o reaffirmed her support for the vision of filmmaker Christopher Nolan despite the criticism that her decision generated on social networks: “It is something extraordinary to be part of The Odyssey, because it is a great work. It spans worlds. That’s why the cast is what it is. We are immersed in the epic narrative of our time. “I felt deeply honored to be entrusted with this role,” she said.
The actor’s statements come in the face of accusations from Matt Walsh, a host linked to The Everyday Wire. In an unexpected series of tweets, The presenter published a message from his X account questioning the list of artists that make up the cast of “The Odyssey”.
“No one on the planet thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world’. But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called a racist if he gave the role of ‘the most beautiful woman’ to a white woman,” he mentioned in his profile.
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